Predators
by Caledonia1986
Summary: when a woman is thrown through yet another anomaly, can the team unravel the mystery about her before Helen gets in the way again? Ratet T for language and violence in later chapters...
1. Chapter 1

Diaclaimer: I do not own Primeval or any of it's characters. Eve is my own creation, similarities to existing or nonexisting persons or places are accidental^^

Rated T for language and violence in later chapters, but don't worry its not just gore and stuff.

If you'd review, you'd make my day a little bit brighter and I can update faster, so review!

And by the way, in my warped up reality Nick didn't die when Helen shot him. You should read my other story "The miracle" first, it will seem a lot less confusing in later chapters.

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Hot and damp and thick was the air around. The sun hung high in the sky, very warm, but the thick layers of clouds enshrouding it made the atmosphere stuffy, as if a storm was nearing. Hidden by the undergrowth of a large forest, a small form was slowly creeping forwards, heading for a small patch of sunlit grass. It was human, female, but her face was hidden by strands of long black hair, which encircled her form. She moved with the eagerness and determination and grace like any expierienced hunter would. Around her neck a small thing glimpsed silver against the pale skin, despite the sunshine. It was a little name-tag saying in cold written letters: _Specimen 9022164 Name: EVE_. And that was what the two-legs used to call her. She thought of it as she; without any sound; slowly; inch by inch drew closer to the clearance. They had never referred to her as a human so why should she call them human? They raised her, gave her claws of her own, for she had no fangs to defend herself and when she was old enough (at least by their thinking) they let a predator loose on her. She remembered it completely, the snarling and that faint clicking as it located her. It had been a hard fight and she only barely had survived it. Wounded she had lunged forwards to strike one last time, before the power would leave her. She had managed to hit the artery, killing it quickly. And she remembered the smell of it and the female, their leader; had smirked and had said something. They had released her after it, only coming by now and then to see how she was doing, watching her kill in order to survive. And always that female was with them. She stood around, telling the males what to do. And strangely the males all looked the same. Sometimes they caught her, poking her with something sharp and small, catching her blood as it drained out of her body.

Determined she shook her head. She didn't want to waste her strength now by thinking of it. Not with prey so close at her spot. Eve cowered down just at the edge of the clearing, watching a large creature. It looked slightly like a deer, only bigger. It's antlers were small, it was a young male. Tusks emerged out of it's mouth, merely a defense weapon than having a real use. Nonetheless Eve decided to be careful. If she was hit by those tusks, the deer wouldn't stop before it had killed her. They never did, she knew that, because she had once seen them being attacked by another predator, very ugly and very dangerous. But it had been a small one for its race and it had stood no chance against the fully grown male deer. The predator had been close to collapse even before it had charged, but the deer had been healthy and strong. It had charged the beast and dug it's tusks and antlers deep into the beast's flesh. The deer had won, but it had been a brutal and suffering victory. She remembered it and had learned a lesson for herself. _Never go near those tusks_.

She extracted her claws, made of some metal that stayed ever sharp and strong, no gleaming on it, for it was black as her own eyes. Eve's muscles tensed as she watched the deer get innocently closer to her. She was hidden against the wind and the deer couldn't possibly smell her. Sweat covered her body, barely hidden by some self-made clothing out of the skin of another mammal. Her claws left long marks in the soft ground beneath her body, as she contracted her muscles, ready to leap at the deer any moment. All around Eve was suddenly sharply outlined, leaving no detail hidden from her. Automatically she ducked herself closer to the ground, waiting for the opportune moment to strike at her still clueless prey. She was nothing more than one leap away from it, when the deer suddenly looked up, turned its head, roared out fiercly and ran away. Robbed by the pleasure of the hunt, Eve lifted her head to glance around the clearance. Surely there must have been a reason why the deer fled. And she knew from expierience that it hadn't been her.

She was staged against the wind, which hadn't turned at all, she had not moved of made any sort of noise. She knew it, even her breath was unable to detect whenever she hunted. So, if it hadn't been her, then it had to be something else. Slowly, very carefully and still determined to move as silently as possible, she stood up and dared a step out at the clearing. Everything was quiet, even the flamebirds had stopped their chirping. No sound broke the eerieness of the silence. And then, right in front of her; halfway across the clearing; a bright light emerged out of nowhere and settled into a slowly rotating of light and shadow. Suddenly frightened Eve leapt back into the undergrowth, but instead of running away, she kept in place. Too curious to run away, she made sure she was still against the wind and was sitting still, claws ready at her hands, if need be.

But nothing was appearing, all kept silent around her.

Slowly she stood up, carefully walking towards the light, fascinated by the slowly rotating and the high pitched noise it uttered. It hovered in mid-air, its shards beautiful and terrible at the same time. Entranced Eve stood still, unable to heed other things around her, drawn in by its grace.

But then she heard a twig snap, a noise loud in the silence. Eve stiffened, her instincts returning. A slow breathing and a faint growling she heard and new sweat appeared at her skin, cold sweat, each drop filled with fear. Silently she cursed herself for paying no attention to her surroundings. She turned around, slowly, some part of her not wanting to see her enemy. Within the bushes in which she had ducked herself only minutes ago a brown shape was crouched, big muscles tensing, ready to strike at its target.

To be continued...

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So, that was the first chapter, tell me what you think about it!


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, second chapter up so read & review!

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Nick Cutter and his team drove to yet another anomaly. Luckily (or maybe not) it wasn't that far from the ARC. In an old warehouse, as Connor had stated. He half listened to him, as the boy sat in the backseat, fiddling over the hand-held detector whilst arguing with Abby over something. Beside him Jenny sat, somewhat nervously looking at the road ahead of them.

_Who can really blame her for it..._ Nick thought.

It had been about two months now since Helen had attacked the ARC, managing in her madness to shoot him in the chest. It still ached now and then and the others were fuzzing over him like crazy (which was pretty annoying), but at least he was alive. But Jenny had been weird since that day. She spoke less, seemed somewhat different, but it could only be that she wasn't able to forget it.

_And neither are you, but you're very good at pretending so... _

His mind quaked from somewhere within his head. He had never understood why he had these weird thoughts from time to time, but he assumed that it was normal, at least after all that had happened. Maybe he was going crazy after all. He certainly wouldn't be surprised if he did. However, he deliberately decided to think of it some other time, when no anomaly was around sending dinosaurs and future creatures to his time.

Cutter stopped the Hilux and got out. Behind him, Connor and Abby started sorting out the tranquilizer guns and Abby handed him a real gun, while Becker and the special forces team stopped their truck behind them. Silent he looked at Nick, as if to make sure, he was really there. He often did that now, Nick realised.

In front of him the warehouse stood dull and grey against the blue sky. It was square shaped, very high and long, only small windows high at the walls, and a big gate at its front. All seemed quiet, but Nick thought of it as a good sign. At least no other people were in danger to stumble across a dinosaur in London. And it meant that nothing had crossed the anomaly yet and if, that it wasn't a territorial hunter. _But when were we ever that lucky?_

He looked behind him for a moment, making sure that the others were ready and set off towards the warehouse.

"Becker, make sure we have no unexpected visitors." He commanded the black-clad man next to him, who immidiately swarmed off to tell his little troop what to do.

The gate was locked, but Abby found a smaller door at the side that wasn't. Letting the special forces get it first, she let Nick follow and went herself, followed by Connor and Jenny. They came to a halt about ten feet from the door. The warehouse was empty, no shelves or any kind of material, it looked like it hadn't been used in years and right in the middle the anomaly glimmered. It was about the same size as usual and gave no signs of any danger. Connor pulled out some gadgets, wanting to analyse the anomaly, when a shrill cry was heard and the anomaly started bulking convulsivly. Becker lifted his weapon and at his signal the special forces begand to surround the anomaly in a half-circle.

A growling roar was heard, followed closely by another shriek.

"Remember, first look what it is, don't shoot until you see it." Nick reminded them calmly. His own gun was pointed towards the ground, but held tightly.

An then, something was thrown trough the anomaly and hit the concrete floor with an odd smack.

It was small, at least smaller than expected, two-legged and human. All gasped and gaped, because the woman didn't look at all like someone who had stepped in earlier out of curiousity. More like one who had been living long on the other side. Her clothes were all tattered and blood-stained, black hair covering her upper torso, making it impossible to see her face. It took Nick barely a minute to observe all that and even as he made a step forwards, something followed the woman through, who had now started to crawl away from the anomaly, but she hadn't yet noticed the others.

The creature that followed was about eight feet tall, it was four legged, the front ones longer than the rear ones, its body covered in dirty brown fur, short but sharp claws at the paws. Its head seemed to big for it's body, sitting on a stout neck, tiny yellow eyes staring at them. It's fangs were big and almost green, covered in some disgusting saliva. It had small, pointy ears and a large forehead. A large Carnivore, something between a hyena and a pitbull, but uglier than anything seen before.

It turned towards the woman and growled low, it's saliva dropping on the floor. Becker gave a shot and the woman lashed forward with something, slicing the creatures left foot. It roared, heedless of the shot and lifted its paw to strike at the human. But she, somewhat calm in the midst of danger, screamed and leaped forwards, punching the creature in the chest.

Its jaws snapped shut and it yelped and whined low, before it broke down finally. The woman pulled her hands back and Nick and the others could see now, why the creature broke down. She wore gloves with claws attached on top of each finger, giving her the ability to defend herself. Becker still aimed the gun at her, but she wasn't that big a threat. At least not now.

Her clothing barely concealed the wounds she had from the creature. She looked at them, staggering and bleeding, her eyes blurry and she was close to collapse. Nick heard Abby talking over her headset to the operator at the ARC, sending medics over fast.

And even as the anomaly closed as promptly as if it had never existed, the woman fell face forward to the ground, passing out from blood loss and exhaustion.

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Sorry it was a bit short but the next chapter will be longer, I promise!


	3. Chapter 3

Ok, here is the third chapter, it's quite long but I thought its appropriate!

Still, I'd love to have some reviews on what you think...

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Eve had been brought within the maximum security ward within the ARC _Funny, never before heard of that _with her hands cuffed to her bed, in case she woke up and wanted to attack the doctors. Also to make sure that she wouldn't tear her stitches out. The creature had landed a pretty good strike before she killed it, maybe before she even was thrown through the anomaly. The gloves were taken from her and Connor examined them.

Nick stood silent, watching the boy fiddle with the weapon, cleaning it from the remains of the creature (and possibly other creatures as well) and disinfecting it. He was leaning casually against the doorframe, having really no place to go. His office was still a mess, it needed to be repaired. Lester already ordered it, but the main room and the research facilities were more important now. So Nick was leaning motionless, arms crossed over his chest, thinking of the girl, while his chest was aching dully again. But he liked the pain sometimes. It reminded him of what Helen did. His thoughts drifted off to that moment again._  
I always overestimated your intelligence..._  
And then she had pulled the trigger. Unbelievable. She had wept, but Nick thought that it weren't tears of him insulting her, more the realisation of what had to be done from her point of view.  
His thoughts stopped suddenly when he heard Connor swear, holding on to his hand.

"What happened?" Nick asked somewhat concerned.

Clutching his hand Connor shuffled over to the sink, running cold water over it.

"Damn, those knifes are sharp. At least I disinfected them."

Realising Nick had to stifle a giggle. Connor had cut himself with those gloves, after sterilising them.

_Fortun__e favours fools_ he thought.

Jenny walked in, briefly glancing at Connor, who was busy poking at the wound. It wasn't big, thankfully. He just dropped them and had accidently cut his palm. It already stopped bleeding and Connor left in search for a bandage.

Carefully Jenny looked up at Nick's face. He looked tired. She knew he wasn't sleeping well, but that was no new thing to her. Only that right now he needed the sleep. His body was still suffering from the wound and the coma afterwards.

She had thought she'd lose him. It was like a huge relief when he finally woke up, though she barely remembered the days when he lay in hospital, all was like a dim fog to her, while she had sat motionless next to him. And even now, as she watched him, the concern grew again, seeing the darker shadows underneath the bright blue of his eyes, and the frowns of thought upon his brow.

As usual, he noticed what she was doing.

"Do you have a point Jenny? Or have you just decided to stare at me?" he asked with a playful grin.

Realising that she really had been staring, Jenny deliberately looked away. She wanted to tell him what had crossed her mind, what crossed her mind for nearly three months now, since he had woken, but as soon as that had happened she had barely had a quiet minute with Nick and that made it even harder to talk. Jenny supposed he knew, or guessed, what was going on but she still couldn't talk of it. So she backed away from the subject and watched the girls clothes and weapons that lay sprawled across the table. She slowly walked over, for two reasons. The first one was that she really was kind of interested in the girl and the second one was that she didn't want Nick to find out exactly where her thoughts lay. And he strangely had that ability to guess rightly what she was thinking.

So Jenny stood at the lit table and handed small items found within the ragged clothing. Some small pieces of bark, a few dry flowers, a comb carved out of a white material and a piece of what looked like glass. She looked at the glass closer. It was round, like a small magnifier and shimmered in all kinds of colour.

"What's this?" she asked Nick, who had followed her and was handling the comb.

"Erm, my guess is that its something like a crystal. Maybe she had it with her for a purpose or maybe she just liked the display of colours."

_Judging by the claw-gloves she had it for a purpose_, Nick thought. But his thoughts trailed off, as he watched Jenny with the glistening mineral in her hand, wrapped deeply in thought.

_Something is on her mind, but she doesn't want to talk about it. _

"Jenny? You allright?" he asked quietly.

A sad smile appeared on her lips, as if the question was silly.  
Then she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. To be honest, it's you I'm worried about." There. She had said it.

Slowly Nick shook his head.

"Jenny I'm fine. Really." He tried to reassure her. Didn't work very well, because now she was looking at him both unbelieving and concerned.

"That really is your trade-mark line nowadays, hm? 'I'm fine' You always say that."

Nick smiled slightly.

"But only because its true. I mean, yes, the wound aches sometimes, but I'm healthy. I have it written on paper if you don't believe me."

Now Jenny turned around to face him sincerely.

"I know that the wound healed, it's just ... well you were in coma and you should take things slow. No one here would grudge you for it. And you know that."

Now Nicks smile faded, whilst looking in Jennys eyes, trying hard to ignore the similarities between her and Claudia. It was weird, ever since he woke up again, she seemed different. Kinda growing more like Claudia every day. And that was what really hurt. Not the bullet that his wife (well more like ex-wife now) had put there, but the fact that he had thought that Claudia was sitting next to him when he had opened his eyes again. She had looked at him, her eyes red from crying and he had really thought of Claudia. What a luck that speaking was difficult at first, because his head thought the words, but his mouth had problems uttering them. Even now he had some problems. Some words seemed to be lost within his mind and he had forgotten some things. Thankfully not the important things, at least he hoped so. But he had remembered everyones names and that at least was a good thing. But sometimes just like now, he had to remind himself that the woman in front of him was not Claudia.

"Nick?" he heard her voice.

"Sorry Jenny. I was thinking." He wanted to continue, but Abby stormed through the door, closely followed by Connor. Both looked somewhat concerned.

"She's waking up. Thats the good news." Connor blurted out.

"And the bad news?" Jenny asked.

"Well, she doesn't like the handcuffs. She's raging. Literally."

Jenny and Nick shared a quick glance before following Abby and Connor through the long corridors of the ARC.

* * *

When Eve woke up, she lay on a soft ground.

_Perhaps I fell asleep underneath the trees again..._

Insulting her carelessness, she tried to get up, but found out two things. First she wasn't in the forest, and second, she was cuffed to a bed within a white room.

_She found me again! She found me again and now she'll poke me with the needles again!_

Fiercely she pulled the cuffs, trying to rip them off the bedside, but it was no use. She pulled and strained, but they wouldn't give in. Her eyes were darting around, half expecting to see the scientists in their white coats, coming closer with those strange metal instruments. But she was alone in the room. Only the bed and a big window in front of it. Behind it, four humans appeared. They didn't look like scientists, but they seemed to follow the blond one, who now flicked a switch and Eve could hear his voice from all around her.

"Calm down, you'll hurt yourself."

Eve looked at him full of hate and disdain.

"You are one of her people, why should I trust you? You never came without a reason. Tell me how did you capture me? Did you wait for me to sleep and shot me with one of the darts? You can tell her, that she can't catch me all the time!" she hissed.

Her eyes shimmered slightly silver, but Nick was too far away to be sure. Besides, he was more interested of whom she was talking.

"Who do you mean? Tell that to who?" Next to him, Jenny stood with a slightly concerned face and behind him Abby was biting her nails again, while Connor had his arm wrapped around her, listening intensivly.

"Who do you think?! The woman called Helen!"

Everyone gasped, briefly unable to say anything.

"Helen? You mean Helen Cutter?!"

"The same." Angry she glared at them, but her main interest clearly was focussed on Nick, who stood wide-eyed staring at the girl.

"We aren't like her. We don't belong to her." He finally got out. He knew Jenny was staring at him so he tried to remain calm. It was the first time he even spoke of Helen in the last month and he believed even the first time ever that he thought of her as the enemy. _And bloody hell, it felt good somehow._

The girl looked at him closely, eyes narrowed down as if she had to check first that he was telling the truth. After what seemed an age, but couldn't possibly been longer than two or three minutes, she spoke again.

"If you're not with her, than why have you cuffed me down?"

"Because you were injured and you shouldn't move around." Abby said.

"Besides, we don't trust you either. What makes you think we should believe you?" Jenny spat out, her eyes dangerously narrowed. In a mood like that, Jenny certainly became dangerous to be around. Nick knew that and as well did the others. It was the PR-woman-gets-medieval-on-your ass-face.

"Well, what should make you believe that... Hm, let me think. Have your scientists and doctors seen the scar on my belly?" the girl asked.

Nick turned around to look at one of the doctors and saw him nod. He turned around and nodded at the girl.

"Yeah, why? He asked.

"Well, simply because that is the scar of the predator she let loose on me when I was little more than a child. She said she wanted to test my reflexes. Never thought that she'd do that. Her scientists saved my life and then she sent me out in the woods. She came sometimes, caught me and did something she calls "experiments". If you ask me, it's pure torture. I hate her more than you can ever imagine." Her furious face made it clear that she was telling the truth.

Realising what the girl had gone through, Nick grew more pale than usual. It wasn't only that Helen needed to meddle with time and creating clones of that cleaner-guy and himself, she had made this girls life a living hell.

"What kind of experiments?" he heard Connor ask. The young man stepped up on his side and looked through the window.

The girl looked at him intensively. At length she spoke again.

"She once wanted to know how fast I can run. She dragged me onto a track and set a creature free. Then she stopped the time how long it had took me to run from one end to another. Another time she wanted to find out, how capable I am to sleep-loss. She put me in a room without window and turned the lights on. Whenever I started to fall asleep, she shocked me with electricity. That kind of experiments."

Now even Jenny's face became pale. The torture that young woman had gone through because of Helen, was more than anyone could imagine. Then she remembered something.

"What's your name anyway?" she asked, trying to keep the pity out of her voice.

The girl's gaze shifted to her and she hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I'm called Eve." She said after a moment.

_Eve. Kind of prophetic._

"Did Helen name you?" Nick asked now. Eve looked at him again intensively and Nick realised that her eyes really flickered silver.

_Like with a cat in the darkness, only silver not green._

"She always called me that. I have a chain around my neck with a plate on. There is my name and some numbers. She gave it to me."

Eve rattled the cuffs again, it seemed that she was used to being in chains. And judging by the pale scars on her wrists, she was used to not let that happen without a fight. But if she'd go on like that, she'd pull her stitches out. Nick wanted to tell her that, but Eve spoke first. Her tone was asking, yet demanding.

"Could you not take those cuffs off, I want to sit upright while talking to you."

"And why should I order that?" came Lesters voice from behind them. He must have come in, while they were talking to Eve.

_Jesus, that man should stop sneaking like that..._

Eve's head turned to him and she watched him a while. Lester was standing at the window now, looking at her. He was wearing a suit as usual, his arms folded upon his chest, he did his best to look authoritarian.

"I just want to sit while talking, that's not that big of a problem now is it?" Eve asked slowly, her gaze always on Lester. She seemed to understand that he was the one in charge. In her mind he probably was like Helen.

"Oh, you could make a run for the doors, or possibly try to kill several of my staff. And if you are cuffed to your bed, you can't do that, now can you?" he answered with a little grin.

"And where would I run? I don't know these corridors, unless you lied to me and you do belong to her." She answered with a suspicious glance across Nick and the others.

"Besides, I can't get out of this room. How would I be able to hurt you or anyone here? Therefore nothing could possibly happen, if you get the cuffs off." She continued.

Lesters eyes narrowed a bit. They were estimating each other.

"And you think I should believe you?" he finally asked.

"Seeing as I'm the only one here, that only makes sense." She answered quickly.

_Really quite entertaining…__pinball conversation..._

"Then you just want to get rid of the cuffs? Nothing else?" he asked suspiciously.

"For now, yes." She answered self-confident.

"And we should trust your word?" Lester said, lifting his eyebrows a bit.

"I never said you have to trust me."

"You didn't?" he asked smirking.

She matched his expression.

"No I haven't."

Silence reigned for a moment.

"Or you could leave the cuffs on, but I won't stop getting rid of them." She stated.

"Is that a threat?"

"No, simply the conclusion of facts."

Behind him, Nick heard Abby giggle quietly. He turned around to look at her and tried himself to stifle the grin. It didn't happen often that Lester found his match. However in this case he seemed to have found his master. After a brief silence Lester sighed.

"Ok, tell you what. I send someone in to free you of the cuffs. Also two of my special forces. If you try to make a dash for it, we will have to be constrained to use deadly force on you. Got it?"

Eve nodded seriously.

At his command two scientists with masks went into the room, closely followed by two of Becker's men carrying rifles. Eve lay silent in the bed and watched the scientists come closer. As they reached her, she closed her eyes, breathing deeply as if she needed to calm herself down. The scientists removed the cuffs and left again. Eve still didn't move, until she heard the door close and lock behind them. At last she opened her eyes again and looked at Lester.

"Thank you." Was all she said.

"Yeah, don't get used to it." With that he turned away, leaving the team alone to talk to Eve.

Nick quietly shook his head, this whole situation seemed unreal.

"So, where were we?" Jenny asked brightly, but with a slight hint of sarcasm.

Eve levered herself up, a slightly pained expression on her face. She grinded her teeth and shut her eyes, until she finally sat and looked at Jenny again.

"You were asking questions and I was answering them. Would you like to continue, while I stand up a bit?"

Jenny gasped slightly, wanting to reply but now Abby came at the window, looking concerned.

"You shouldn't move, you could tear your stiches."

Grimly Eve looked at her, while she swung her legs off the bed.

"Believe me, I had wounds more severe than this. And I survived them. I will survive this one also."

With that she slowly stood up and stayed a moment next to the bed, holding a hand to her temple, shaking her head slightly. Then, opening her eyes again, she took a few steps forward, slowly but very determined.

"What do you mean, you had worse wounds than that? Are you used to that?" Nick asked unbelieving.

"Well, after I was tested on my reflexes, as it was called, I had a worse wound. This is nothing compared to it. It sliced my chest and managed to bite my shoulder, breaking the bone and my left upper arm. I couldn't move for days."

Her gaze was unfocussed as if she recalled the situation Helen put her into and the pain that must have followed afterwards. Nick really started to get angry now and he could see Jenny stiffen next to him. She didn't seem angry at Eve anymore, more concerned. Eve couldn't be older than Abby, possibly even younger, and she already had lived through worse things than they had all together. No wonder she was suspicious that they were sent by Helen.

Eve noticed his expression and came closer to the window, studying his features interested.

"You really don't like her." Not so much a question as it sounded. She was certain now.

Connor cleared his throat and Eve's gaze shifted to him.

"To be honest, we would luckily catch her. She has done many bad things since we got to know her." Connors face was grim, an expression often seen on his face now. Usually whenever his thoughts trailed off to Helen. Eve noticed it and backed away some paces. She swayed slightly, but refused to sit down or get to bed again. She seemed determined to walk around.

"Ok, I have a question." Abby stated and Eve turned to her, head tilted a bit to the side.

"Do tell. What do you want to know?" she asked quietly.

"That creature. What was it and why did it attack you?"

Disgust flooded briefly over Eve's face before she answered.

"What it is I cannot tell. It's a hunter. I don't know the name of its race. Quite dangerous. Thankfully that one wasn't fully grown. It was a young female. The males are bigger."

"You mean, usually they are bigger than eight feet?" Nick asked. Thinking about the creature seemed better to him than to ponder about what Helen had done and why. Her motives were impossible to foresee, even to him.

"The males are bigger than the females. As to why it attacked me, thats simple. I was hunting and was disturbed by the rotating light. I got careless and got close to it. I paid no attention to my surroundings. It crept up behind me. It was going against the wind and broke a twig. That was when I noticed it. Otherwise it would have killed me. But the females are less dangerous than the males."

"How can you tell them apart? Just by size?" Connor asked.

"No, the males wear display colours when in search for a pride. They have red fur on their necks then. When they have a pride, the fur turns yellow. The females are just brown."

"Who taught you that? And who taught you how to hunt?" Nick wanted to know. It seemed unlikely that she found it out herself.

"Helen told me. And I have seen it often when other hunters did it. Helen gave me the claws and set me free after I was cured from her last experiment. I asked her why she had done that. And she answered that I would be part of her biggest experiment."

Nick looked at her intensively. He didn't like the turn in this conversation, it seemed that Helen got more ruthless, the longer she was running around within the earths past and future.

"And what kind of experiment was that?"

"She said, she wanted to know how a human would evolve in a surrounding like that."

All gasped and stared at Eve. And silently Nick cursed Helen for what she had done.

Slowly, deep within him, he really began to hate her.

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so, that was chapter three. I'll update as soon as I can but seeing as it's still in progress, it could take a few days...


	4. Chapter 4

So fourth chapter is up. Thanks to all those who reviewed, loved it. Was really happy to get them!

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Several days later

Eve was still kept in the observation room and she was quite content with that. Lester had told her that she wasn't allowed to leave it, because he wasn't taking any risks, not now at least. That was no new thing to Eve. She had just shrugged and accepted it. She slept on the ground, her blanket sprawled across the floor and she often was huddled in it in the corner which was furthest away from the door. She eyed everything curiously and became adapted to the food fast, though she rarely ate meat. She said she doesn't like it. That somehow it seemed wrong to her to eat it without deserving it by hunting. She ate the fruit though and the apples seemed to taste best to her.

She was sitting in the corner again when Nick came in, looking at her through the thick glass which separated them. He couldn't deny that it was interesting to watch her, trying to figure out her behaviour, but he would never do what Helen had done. Develop cruel experiments to test her reaction to it. He sat down on a chair and watched her watching him. She seemed to understand that he was there to ask more questions and waited patiently, literally unmoving, for him to get started with the asking game.

"Eve, can you tell me about the world you came from? What does it look like?"

She turned towards him, saw the curiousity in his face and smiled a little. He was different than all the other scientists she knew. He was almost afraid to ask, carefully not to frighten her. But it took a lot to frighten her.

"Well, I live in a cave near a stream and a forest. Flowers bloom at the hillside near my home. Beyond the forest there is a wide plain covered with thick grass that grows so high, that if you crouch down, no one will see you. Off west there are ruins of old houses and tall buildings. And beyond it there is a big river, streaming into the sea. I only went there once, usually I stay in the forest, the big animals don't go there."

"What do the animals look like? Can you look through that book and tell me if you recall any of them?" With that Nick stood up and put a thick book in the airlock. Eve stood up, slowly though because the wound was far away from healed and got to the airlock. Quickly she examined the lock and it took her little more than 30 seconds to find out how it was working. She reached in and took the book out. Then she sat down again, face towards the window, her back pressed at the end of her bed. She flicked the pages and stopped when she saw the picture of a european deer. She turned it around so Nick could see it.

"Some of the other creatures look like them, but they have tusks in their mouths. Not long ones, more the lenght of an arm. They use it to fight off predators, so I only hunt the small ones with smaller tusks. They don't stop attacking until the hunter is dead."

"Who taught you that? It couldn't been all Helen, could it?"

Eve shook her head.

"No, she only taught me how to kill. She never explained to me which animals were good to hunt or which plants were safe to eat. I watched other animals. I ate the plants that they were eating or watched them hunt. But I have to admit, I was a very poor hunter at first. I was hungry for about four days until I finally caught something. It looked like this." She held up the picture of a rabbit. "Only the feet are different. They have claws on them and long tails and can climb trees. Not easy to catch, but the one I caught was careless. He was drinking from a small stream and I crept up behind him and hit him over the head."

"With those claws, right?" Nick asked, frowning slightly.

"They were given to me because I have no claws of my own. They worked very good. It was a quick death for it. But it tasted bad." Her disgusted expression made Nick laugh a little.

"And which taste better?" He asked grinning.

Eve smiled as well now, a little, but it could pass for a smile.

"Well the tusk-deers. Or the flamebirds."

Nick frowned.

"Whats that? Never heard of a flamebird before."

Eve flicked the pages until she ended up with the birds. She searched until she found a picture of an falcon.

"The beak is wrong, but that'll do. It looks a bit like that, but the feathers are red and orange and shine in the sun. When the bird moves it seems like it's burning. That's why I call it a flamebird."

In the middle of this Sarah came in, handling the flowers, the piece of bark and that glittering stone. She looked at Eve and smiled nervously.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I'm Sarah. I wanted to ask you about these items of yours. What do you use them for?"

Eve pointed towards the bark.

"That I use when I am injured. I chew it and then I get better and am in less pain. And the stone I use to light fire. It breaks the light of the sun somehow and ignites the wood."

Nick was watching Eve curiously, wondering about Helen's little experiment right out of hell. It was plain that she wanted to know how a human would evolve with no other humans around, but there seemed more to it. He just couldn't grab it yet. He looked at Sarah and told her to get on without him, he really needed some space to get his thoughts in order. He walked slowly through the long corridors of the ARC, steering towards the roof, still wrapped in thought. Eve was truly fascinating, and he really wanted to find out what Helen had intended. Though her motives were unethical to common human terms. So she had possibly kidnapped Eve when she was a little child, that's why the girl couldn't remember anything before Helen. Helen had examined her like any unknown species and trained her that she could survive in that world. Possibly the future because Eve had said something about ruins of houses. And after making sure that she could defend herself, she had set Eve free in the woods. But she came back sometimes, Eve had said. So it wasn't just that Helen wanted to study her behaviour, because she was testing her after she set her free. So maybe she was expecting a change in behaviour, like a learning expierience.

And suddenly he understood.

It was simple really, so simple that he hadn't thought of it first. Helen wanted to see, if Eve would evolve backwards. Like evolving back to the animal that the human race had originally been. And with Eve she had succeeded, at least partially. She was a hunter, who killed her prey with claws like any common predator, probably leaping at it from somewhere hidden. But she said she used fire, so she didn't eat the flesh raw. She was curious about many things, but was careful about other humans. And that was only understandable, because the only humans she had known so far were Helen and her clones and some scientists of her. So parts of her were a dangerous animal, kept locked up and studied, and parts of her were a human, only wanting to find out the motives behind other human's doings. She had discovered fire on her own (she never said so, but Nick supposed so) and she had learned how to hunt from other animals. So that had been Helen's motive. She just wanted to know if humans would evolve backwards. Which in itself was ridicoulus. Nothing ever evolved backwards, the whole pattern of evolution based on it. Animals only adapted to their surroundings better, they evolved, mutated in some ways even in order to get along with the rest of the world. The only thing Helen had managed was to prove that a random human could be trained to be a predator, but she had only given Eve those claws so that meant she wasn't seeking for Eve to evolve like humans had done by using tools to catch their prey. She wanted Eve to become a predator, capable of competing with other predators.

And while he thought of that the sun out of the ARC set again and Nick realised that it was unlikely he'd get sleep tonight. There was so much to think of first.

_Oh man, Jenny will be even more concerned..._

* * *

Meanwhile Helen stepped through the anomaly closest to her research facilities. She had found it, when she first came here, and all her clones were created in there. And Eve too. And now it was time again to check on her.

_Maybe she got __better than last time and won't be so easy to catch. _

Last time it was almost too easy. Eve had bathed herself in the stream, briefly unaware of her surroundins and unarmed. Helen had shot her with one of her tranquiliser darts and brought her to her lab. She had been furious as she woke up again, vowing that Helen would regret that one day. And that she can't catch her all the time. That in itself was true, up until now it had been pure chance whenever Helen had found her. However, she decided that now she should be looking in Eve's cave first.

_God, if the girl knew that I know where she has her shelter, she'd probably run away..._

Thinking about that Helen walked through the dense forest towards the small hillside ahead where Eve decided to live. Helen had to admit, it was a good spot. Defendable, a fresh water source close by and the forest to hunt. Smirking she walked on until the hill came into view. On top of it she saw the entrance to the cave. Helen knew from previous observations that sometimes at night Eve would sit on top of the hill, not moving an inch, her eyes piercing the darkness, scanning her surroundings for potential prey or predators. So obviously her experiment had worked well, if even Eve wasn't the perfect success. Yes, she was a talented predator but she didn't live up to Helen's expectations. She never used her full potential and that really was annoying. And the fact that Eve hated Helen didn't help much, it even made things worse. She always had to hunt for her if she wanted to conduct her research. And that became harder and harder. Because every time Helen caught the girl, Eve never made the same mistake again that had got her into Helen's grasp.

Still pondering about that Helen reached the hill. But from the looks of it, the cave seemed deserted.

_That doesn't look too promising..._

Helen reached down to pick up a small stone and threw it right at the opening of the cave. Nothing happened. Frowing she stepped a bit up the hillside to throw another stone. Again nothing happened so Helen walked the rest of the way up and looked inside the small cave. It was nothing big about it, ashes of her last fire, old fur made into a blanket, but other than that there was no evidence that something lived here.

_That's not good Helen_ thought still frowning and somewhat concerned.

She looked at the ashes closer and it was obvious that the traces were at least some days old. She had left the cave taking nothing with her except her weapons.

_So she wasn't seeking another place to stay, at least that means that she doesn't know that I know where she is hidden..._

Helen stepped out of the cave again and began walking back down the hill.

_Maybe she was hunting and had to leave the forest..._

But that was ridicoulus. Eve seldom hunted big animals, she preferred the small ones that lived in this dense place and she could hunt them more easily.

_Maybe she was surprised by another predator and had to fight... Perhaps she lost that battle..._

Helen wasn't entirely concerned about the girl in particular, she was more concerned about her experiment. The best try yet eaten by a creature, that certainly would mean a setback. Then she would have to start over again. Besides it would mean that her experiment had failed.

_Maybe she is somewhere around here... _

Deliberately she set off towards the edge of the forest following the stream as it wound itself up into green nowhere. Soon she was not to be seen in the shadows of tall trees and huge ferns.

Really by accident she found Eve's track, her soft imprints on a patch of mud. She followed it, eyes on the ground, careful not to lose it. And Helen also found tracks of a bigger animal, one of the hyenas, at least she called them so. It followed Eve's track and stopped at the edge of a clearing in the undergrowth. The hyena had stood here for a while, and Eve's imprints headed out at the clearing. A few feet in front of her the ground had been trampled and bits of grass had been torn out.

_A fight..._

Helen stepped closed and eyed the prints carefully. Eve's small feet and the paws of an hyena. They were fighting, that was for certain. And then Helen stopped short.

The prints just dissappeared into nowhere, no footprints were leading away, they just stopped being there. Frowning Helen stood up again and looked around her.

_So, if Eve would have killed the hyena she would have left the body, she never ate the meat of them.__ And if the hyena had killed Eve it would have dragged her away, so there should be footprints. So the only explanation was that they both dissappeared at the same time. Which meant that they went through an anomaly._

Helen pulled a small thing out of her pocket, it looked like a cellphone, but the screen was bigger. It was one of the things she had took with her from the future. _Well, right now it would be the past..._ It was able to tell her when anomalies appeared and even more important, where they led or to which time they led.

She didn't have to search long and saw that the anomaly that had been here at this spot led to the time in which her so-called husband was. So it was possible, no it was almost certain that he had found Eve and the hyena. So this meant that Eve was probably at the ARC, because the time had been too short to get her back. The anomaly had only stood open for about twenty minutes.

_This will get complicated_, Helen thought before heading back the way she came, walking towards her research centre. _Plans must be laid, somehow I must get Eve out of there, before they find out what she is._

_

* * *

_So again, tell me what you think. I'll upload the next chapter as soon as it is finished!_  
_


	5. Chapter 5

ok, finished it just now and decided I'd put it up right away. It's quite long but you'd better get used to that, because thats usually the length of all the chapters still to come...

* * *

Eve was restless. She paced at the window, unable to see anything except those white walls surrounding her or the big glass window, behind which the scientists usually stood. She supposed they were different, they always made sure she had enough to eat, that the bandages were clean and the wound wouldn't get infected, and they asked questions. Some of them she wasn't able to answer, simply because she never knew everything. But usually she was asked questions about the creatures or the land she came from. Or what Helen had done. They had been wary at first, but they were interested in her and slowly understood that she wasn't exactly Helen's friend. If she was true to herself, she would luckily strike that smile with her claws.

_That at least would make her stop smiling..._

She thought of the blonde scientist again. He seemed very intelligent and he didn't like Helen either. But there was more to it, he only had told her his name... Nick. And the woman, Jenny, she seemed to care a lot about him. She always was concerned about him.

_Strange__, he looks like someone who can look out for himself..._

The other people were concerned about him too, only it was not so plainly shown as in Jenny's case. Eve had seen it when Nick spoke about Helen, that frightened yet somehow proud look on Jenny's face.

But thinking about those scientists was pointless, it did nothing to ease her restlessness. Eve knew very well why she was restless. It was the lack of trees and the sounds of nature. Here in this place the only thing she heard from time to time were the voices of Nick or Jenny or Sarah. It slowly made her sick. So she paced in front of the window and that was how Nick found her; pacing.

He nodded as if he could understand what was happening.

_Really he seems to understand me..._

He flicked the switch again and looked at her thoughtful.

"Eve, what's wrong?" he asked, his brow frowned in concern.

She only paused briefly looking at him, before she got on with her neverending journey through the room.

"I get crazy in here. There is nothing to do here except sleep and eat. I don't know what do do. You know, usually I stand up in the morning, go down to the stream, wash my face and set out in search for my first meal. In here, what is there to do? All I can do is stay here and wait for you or the other scientists to come and ask me questions."

Understanding he nodded again.

"Unfortunately I can't change that." He was truly sorry about it, Eve could see it.

"Then let me talk to your leader again. If he is the one making the commands, then let me speak to him."

Nick looked into her eyes for a while, before nodding again.

"I'll look if I can get him down here, but I can't promise you anything. It is possible that he won't listen."

Eve nodded and he walked outside again and Eve continued walking. She still did when Nick returned with the man in charge. We wore a suit again and he certainly didn't look very happy to talk to her.

She walked closely up to the window and looked at his features thoughtfully, unsure of how to begin.

"Listen, I know that you don't want me here. But if I had been given a choice I wouldn't be here either. I have been here in this room very long. So long indeed that I could tell you exactly how many cracks are in this floor. My plea is very simple. I just want to smell fresh air, and feel the ground beneath my feet. Real ground; earth, not this hard excuse for it. Please, just once."

Lester just raised his eyebrows as an answer.

"Please, I'll..." she thought for a moment, then swallowed hard and continued "I'll do whatever you want, you can test me to your hearts content, I'll answer all the questions I can but please let me get out, if even for a few minutes."

Now even Lester looked surprised and Nicks mouth dropped open for a bit. She gave them permission to test them and in turn she just wanted to get out?

Eve looked at Lester thoughtfully; she was concerned that he could refuse what she had asked for. A few minutes reigned silence, whilst Nick stared at her in something close to disbelief. She couldn't even understand herself, why she gave them permission to test on her, but it was a matter of leverage, as Helen would say.

However, Lester's face grew a bit softer and sighing, he looked long at her. At length he spoke again.

"Ok, tell you what I'll do. You give us a blood sample and in turn you're allowed to get outside for a bit. You must wear handcuffs and at least four of my soldiers in addition to the scientists must watch you. And please don't try to run, we would be oblidged to shoot you if you did. If any of those conditions are disliked, well, can't help that. It's either that or I cannot allow you out of there."

Eve held his gaze steadily for a while, pondering over the conditions. But it was as it was, if she wanted to get out, she had to agree. So she nodded.

"All right. Do what you must. I will not disobey."

Lester just nodded in response and turned on his heel, leaving the room.

Truth be told, Eve wasn't so sure if giving them permission to test her was such a good idea, but somehow she wasn't as afraid of these scientists as of those Helen commanded. She certainly didn't think that they'll do anything that could hurt her. So she stood and stared, until Nick's voice broke her train of thoughts.

"You just allowed us to do whatever we like with you. Don't worry, we'll just get the blood sample, but why did you do it?" he asked, shaking his head.

Eve met his gaze thoughtfully.

"Well, I understood that if I want sunshine, you want something from me in return. And the only thing I have to offer is myself. And I deem that you scientists want to test me for many things. So I did what I had to do in order to get out of here, if it is even for a few minutes. This room makes me sick, I go crazy if I have to stay here much longer."

Her thoughts were plausible, but still it seemed unusual and slightly concerning that she had done that.

Sonn a medic came into the room, flanked by two soldiers. Eve looked only slightly frightened, but she put a brave face on and sat down on her bed, lifting her left arm, holding it out in front of her. Her behaviour clearly indicated that this wasn't the first time that she had met with a needle.

"Eve, how many times did Helen's scientists do that?" he asked curious.

"Well, usually every time they caught me. I never understood what they were searching for, but I had no other choice. I had to let them do it or else..." she trailed off, while watching the soldiers.

The tone of her voice made Nick shiver slightly. She didn't need to say any more on that subject because Nick could imagine all too well what had happened if she didn't cooperate. He watched her look away and grind her teeth, her body tensing as the needle pierced her pale skin. The medic took four or five vials of the red liquid and then, as he drew the needle out again he looked at her like he was thinking.

"That's it. Thank you very much." He said and walked out.

Eve nodded and looked at Nick again, who had moved and stood now in the doorframe.

"So I can go outside now?" she asked with a hopeful gleam in her dark eyes.

Just as Nick took breath to aswer, Connor and Sarah walked up behind him and heard what Eve had said.

"Going outside?" Connor asked, eyeing the girl suspiciously.

"Your leader, he said that I can get outside for a bit if his scientists get a blood sample of me."

That resulted in unbelieving glances being shot at Nick.

"Don't look at me. Lester's orders, not mine. He gave her permission to get outside. Guarded and handcuffed, but outside. But like I said, not my orders." Defensivly he shrugged while Eve was being handcuffed again (though she didn't protest this time) and one more soldier, followed by Becker walked into the room. Eve looked up at Becker's face long, seemingly she understood that he was in charge of the soldiers here.

Her staring was interrupted as Sarah managed to stop staring at Becker and started talking.

"Well, if that is the case, I'll accompany you." She said brightly, though it seemed that she wasn't exactly talking to or about Eve, for she still couldn't get her eyes off the captain. In turn Connor and Nick exchanged amused glances because Sarah was so obviously fond of Becker.

Encircled by soldiers, they made their way through the long corridors of the ARC, watching Eve looking at her surroundings interested, though nothing held her gaze long enough to show genuine interest.

_Seems like she really wants to get out... Who can really blame her for that?_

All of them eyed Eve kind of suspiciously, worried that maybe she could see too much or overhear a conversation that she wasn't supposed to hear. Nick walked in the rear, looking at Eve's behaviour more than on his surroundings. Her movements were fluid, filled with a grace no human had ever achieved and slowly Nick remembered why her movements were so interesting. She moved like a predator would. Soft and fluid, her footsteps barely heard on the concrete floor, while they moved through the long corridors of the ARC. Where ever they turned, Eve first turned her head before her body followed. Even in the tracksuit she wore it was plain to see that her body was tensed as if she feared that out of some dark corner a creature could leap at them, aiming to kill her.

Suddenly Nick caught himself thinking that if Eve's hate for Helen was the truth (and she had to be a damned good actress if it wasn't) and the two women ever met without tranquiliser guns or clones, it could get ugly for Helen. With Eve she had created a human predator unlike any other, capable of such powerful feelings like hate which meant that Eve would react on impulse, no longer heeding what her common sense told her and that was the dangerous thing. Eve just reacted to her surroundings, if everything was calm, then she was calm (at least in a way) but if someone was attacking her she would be guided by her instincts and the truth was that instinct never lies. And even if Helen could withstand her, her chances were limited on a larger time span. Because Eve was probably used to hunt over longer periods of time, chasing her prey through woods and over wide plains while Helen was used to escape from imminent danger, usually by dissapearing.

His thoughts stopped as the reached a small door, leading outside onto a small patch of green behind the ARC. It was still enclosed by fences, cameras and soldiers made sure that no unexpected visitors appeared. But still, it was something green in the dull grey which usually surrounded them all while working, if they weren't in field, chasing some creature.

Some trees stood there and even a few birds chirped within them. Eve's face suddenly grew exited at the mere sight of them and she walked a bit faster, heading for the largest tree that could be spotted. It was a huge oak, probably ages old, inhabited by some squirrels it stood majestic right in the middle of the lawn.

Eve seemed utterly pleased with herself and the situation she was in, even if she probably was hundreds of years away from her home. She reached the shadow of the oak, still guarded by the soldiers who stood a bit away but never got tired to watching her every move. She closed her eyes, determined to ignore the guns and the glances and took a deep breath. It smelled different here, not as clean as she was used to. But still it was better than her room. She heard the wind rustle through the branches above her and it whistled around her and her feet were engulfed by soft and rich green grass. She looked around for a while before her eyes returned to the tall building of the ARC.

"Does your whole world look like that?" she pionted towards the building.

"Some parts do, but not all of it" Sarah replied, glancing sometimes over to Becker, who in turn looked at her whenever he thought Sarah wouldn't notice.

Eve continued asking questions, never reffering to the ARC in any way and even if she did by accident and was told that they couldn't tell her, she just shrugged and accepted. She looked like she was completely oblivious to the fact that she was surrounded by armed soldiers, yet Nick noticed that she shot quick glances at Becker and his men as if to make sure they weren't moving fast or in her direction altogether. This proved that she did realise the situation she was in and understood somehow that the soldiers were only there to prevent her from hurting the others. So she kept her movements slow, if she moved at all, to ensure the soldiers wouldn't be oblidged to shoot.

Nick shifted his interest back to the subject of the conversation because he saw Eve frown with a confused look upon her face. She probably had been asked a question that she didn't understand. Connor was talking to her.

_Big surprise there..._

He seemed interested about Eve's experiences with other animals and especially curious about how she tracked them. And Eve looked like she couldn't understand why this held his interest so much.

She tilted her head sideways and looked at Connor.

"What do you want to know exactly?" she asked, still confused.

Connor sighed and looked up for a second as if bidding the gods for advice.

"Well, for one, how do you track animals? I've seen other people do it but I want to know how you do it. Do you follow footprints or what?"

She frowned and looked at the grass beneath her feet, thinking about the question until after a few minutes, she looked up again.

"To be honest, I have no idea. I just track them. It's like some instinct of me. When I'm on hunt, everything is kind of outlined and I can see better. All the colours seem different and then I charge. But how I find or track my prey, I don't know."

_Now it's getting interesting..._

"What do you mean, everything is kind of outlined?" Nick joined in the conversation.

Eve's attention turned to him and she looked at his face long, choosing her words with care.

"Well, it is like everything shines and the edges seem sharper. It is difficult to explain, but there are fewer colours. And well, my senses get better, hearing improves and smell and touch and all that. I never knew why that happened but it always was like that. Since I can remember anyway." She stopped a moment looking at him carefully before she continued.

"You mean, you don't have that?" She asked staring at them as if they were the truly interesting species.

"No, not that I know of." Connor muttered to himself, but Eve heard him nonetheless.

"Oh, yes, I forgot. You don't have to hunt for your food. But still I don't understand why this is so important to you." She pointed towards Connor, forced to raise both hands due to the cuffs.

* * *

They kept on talking, but Nick's thoughts drifted away again, as they slowly returned to the ARC after a while. Eve's description of her hunting experience was interesting and it seemed to him that she was truly one of a kind. Maybe that was why Helen had taken her in the first place. Perhaps, by one of her many recources; she had found out that Eve was different from average human beings and had decided to study her. So, she had kidnapped the girl, while Eve was too young to defend herself and took her through an anomaly. And there she had raised her, probably having her own scientists obeying Helen's wishes. That too was plausible, because as smart as Helen was, there was no way in Hell that she had created that clones herself. She was intelligent, but no geneticist. Yet thinking of the clones made Nick shiver slightly. That blank stare his clone had shown, with no care if he lived or died, it didn't even know the meaning of being dead. Sure, in the end it had disobeyed, giving him just enough time to get out of the main room before blowing the whole thing up, but still, it had been a creepy thing looking at something that had looked exactly like himself.

_That thing was not really human a__nd you know that..._

Deliberately Nick shook his head, determined to think of something else other than clones. He silently left the group, sure that Connor and Becker could get Eve back to her room, if Becker ever stopped staring at Sarah. So he headed for his office, or what was left of it. At least now the debris was gone and despite the missing furniture and the anomaly map, it looked like a normal office. Even with the slightly sooted walls.

_At least I have a door again_ he thought as he closed the new door behind him. It was made of glass, just like the old one.

The blast of the explosion had caused his desk to smash into it, knocking it clean off its hinges. This meant that right now, he had a door, but no desk, not even a chair to sit on. But that was only a small problem compared to the loss of the anomaly map he had worked on for undcounted hours. And just then, when he had thought that finally they got ahead of the anomalies, having something to predict them, Helen happened.

_Helen always happened..._

Nick grimaced at this thought. Sitting down on the now clean floor, back pressed at the wall behind him, he thought of it closer. It was true; sometimes he thought of what might have happened if he hadn't met Helen. Would Stephen still be alive? Probably, because if it hadn't been for Helen and her messed-up crusade, he never would have walked into that trap. And they would still be friends, because Stephen wouldn't have had an affair with Helen. Though he had to admit, the death of this friendship was mostly his fault and he still blamed himself for that. He had been to damn arrogant and wasn't able to swallow his pride in order to forgive Stephen and he kept on rejecting him.

A faint knocking on his door stopped his train of thoughts and being grateful for that, Nick just said: "Come in."

He watched Jenny walk inside, quickly scanning the room until she had spotted him on the floor, legs streched out in front of him, feet casually crossed. She seemed to hesitate, like she so often did those days. They were all doing that, being careful around him as if the slightest wind could blow him away. Nick raised an eyebrow in token of question.

Jenny understood and started talking, though she was stammering slightly and couldn't keep her hands calm.

"Nick, I... well...I" she trailed off, unsure of what to say, so Nick started talking instead.

"Jenny, I know you are all worried about me but I'd wish you would stop fuzzing so much. I'm fine." And then, unable to stop himself, he added a mumbled "Physically."

Slowly Jenny walked over and accompanied him on the floor. She slid down the wall, it almost looked like her legs couldn't support the weight of her body anymore. Now sitting, she looked up to him, her brown eyes clouded with concern again.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it. It's not like I could do anything about it." She looked away again, averting his gaze as if she was afraid of what he may see in her eyes. Her brow was frowned in thought and looking somewhat anxious she scanned the room, still wrapping her hands around one another in a slightly compulsive way. Now Nick was getting concerned. There was something on her mind, and if she couldn't get it off her chest, she would get crazy about it. And knowing Jenny it was unusual as she normally said what was on her mind. However since that morning in the hospital, he had spotted her looking out into nowhere sometimes a concerned look on her face. Almost like the one she wore right now, only this one was worse. Hoping he would finally get her to talking about it he tried again to encourage her.

"Come on, Jenny. I can see that there is something that troubles you. Unfortunately I can't guess what it might be, but I can tell you that I'm a good listener. So you can talk to me about it, whatever it is."

Reassuringly he smiled at her but the smile was not returned. Stern and serious, yet somewhat worried at the same time, she looked up to meet his gaze, silence reigning between them again for some minutes.

Then it seemed that she backed away from the subject, hiding the full truth.

"I'm just concerned about you. I think you're pushing yourself too hard. Again. You should rest, Lester even agreed to give you some weeks on holiday, but you refused."

"There's a job to be done, Jenny." He defended his actions. Of course he could see Jenny's point, but he just felt that he'd been out for too long. Not that his team wasn't able to go on without him, they had proven that while he was in hospital, yet he still felt a huge responsibility towards them and also the need to get going with the map again if they ever wanted to be ahead of Helen.

"You know if you go on like that, you'll wreck yourself someday. And I'm not sure if I could endure that." Jenny stated and stared at the wall opposite of them. Her voice shook slightly and she was blinking often. Nick had seldom see a woman cry, yet in Jenny's case it hurt him the most. For one because Jenny always seemed so strong, unbendable, like nothing could get in her way. And for the other, because deep within him, he cared a lot for Jenny and it just hurt to see her like that. He wanted to reply, telling her that he'd be fine again in no time, that she didn't need to be worried, but all those words seemed empty and hollow suddenly, while he looked at her.

Instead she talked again, breathing deeply, still not looking at him.

"I'm sorry, didn't mean that." There it was again, she slammed the walls up again.

"It's ok Jenny. You're human, you are allowed to have feelings."

She snorted, then answered with a doubtful glance up at him.

"Not in this kind of job."

"Now come on, what is really on your mind?" he asked.

"Why are you here?" she asked back, changing the subject, aiming for simplicity even managing a playful grin spreading across her features.

"Do you want me to go?" Nick asked back, matching her grin and causing her to laugh a little. He had always been fascinated seeing Jenny laugh. It made her suddenly so much more beautiful. Her features softened and her eyes started to sparkle, she didn't seem as tied up as usual, she was just adorable.

"Only if you'd go home and get rest, but I guess that isn't going to happen, is it?" she asked amidst her laughter.

"Nope." He replied shortly, causing them both to giggle in unison.

After their laughter had subsided, Jenny looked ahead again, taking deep breaths as if she was mentally preparing for something.

"Nick, listen. I..."she trailed off again, falling silent.

Frowning he watched her, she suddenly seemed very nervous.

"You?" he asked, trying to get her to speak again and waited patiently for it. She pulled her legs towards her body and wrapped her arms around them, biting her lip. She almost looked like a young girl who was trying to tell someone she had broken something. A harsh contrast to the normally tough PR-woman that she used to be.

"Well, I was just wondering... if maybe, if you'd like... we could go out on a drink someday." She glanced at him briefly and Nick took several deep breaths until he had finally and wholly understood what the question meant. Not only going out with Jenny on a date, it meant that she was willing to let her guard down, giving him permission to climb the invisible walls which encircled her. Giving him a chance to find the real Jenny, away from the job, the creatures, the whole madness. And thinking of all that he realised within a single heartbeat, that he'd enjoy that, finding out who she really was.

Then he looked into her dark eyes, seeing a light in them that he only saw once before and that was in Claudia's eyes, right after she had kissed him. A warm light filled with happiness and deep feelings way beyond anything he had ever seen. Perceiving that they were only a few inches apart, he took everything in that was her. Her eyes, the shining in them, her pale skin, the freckles around her nose, the smile that graced her lips, the hair that encircled her head and her shoulders.

Unable to resist it, he reached out, brushing his hand against the soft skin of her cheek, feeling the warmth underneath it, while her breath drifted against his chin as she drew ever closer. Entranced he watched her eyes, which seemed to burn with a feeling that couldn't be categorised. It was just there, being whatever, which was good in itself.

As their lips touched it seemed like liquid fire spread and ran through his veins, the scent of her skin making him almost dizzy, the feeling of her soft lips on his and her hand on his cheek making him forget everything for a moment.

As they broke apart he still didn't take his eyes off hers. He watched her smile again and he returned it.

"I guess, that was a yes, hm?" she asked and smiled even broader.

"Yes, it was." He almost whispered, not wanting to let her go, if even for a moment.

Suddenly Jenny's smile turned into a mischievious grin and she giggled slightly.

_Creepy..._

"Why do I suddenly feel like the mouse in front of the snake?"

Jenny giggled slightly again, probably imagining that thought, until she spoke again.

"What's your favourite colour, Nick? I never knew that." Her eyes sparkled and somehow Nick thought she had a purpose with that question, but he believed that even his best assumptions wouldn't live up to the end product.

"My favourite colour?"

She nodded.

"It's red." He answered, remembering Claudia's red _ok, magenta_ top and Jenny's bright red high heels. Still smiling about that memory he looked at Jenny again, wondering what she was planning. Whatever it was, knowing Jenny it would be something totally unexpected.

"And yours?" he asked, finally letting go of the strand of brown hair he had been holding.

"Mine is green." She still smiled when she stood up and looked towards the door as if she half expected it to open suddenly, showing an excited Connor jumping into the room.

Slowly Nick stood up too, a slight pinch of sharp pain on his chest because he had sat still for a while. He glanced across the room again and then at the door which reminded him of something.

"By the way Jenny, how did you know I was in here? I thought nobody saw me get in here."

She blushed a bit, smiling shyly and looked away again.

"Well, I went in search for you and figured that this could be a possible target. It's quiet and people wouldn't think of this place first when looking for you. So I thought I'd try it."

She blushed a bit more and still couldn't meet his gaze and smiling Nick realised that she hadn't told him the full truth. Raising an eyebrow he looked at her, watching her reaction as she quickly looked up, met his eyes, blushed even more and looked away again.

"You followed me here, didn't you?" he asked with a huge grin across his face.

Jenny grew silent and refused to look up, those fascinatingly soft lips pressed together, forming a thin line and Nick knew he was right.

"You know stalking is against the law?" he teased her and stepped a little bit closer, lowering his voice to almost a whisper, resulting in Jenny looking up again, giving him one of those typical Jenny-looks.

"Really? How terrible." She said sarcastic, both knowing that neither of them had any reason to regret it.

* * *

Allright, that's Chapter five. Next chapter there will be some action too...

I'll put it up as soon as I'm done with it and as usual I'm looking forward to reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

Ok, sixth chapter up. Sorry it took so long, had a bit of trouble here and hadn't really the mind for writing.

* * *

That night Jenny went home happily. Nick had kissed her and they had a date for tomorrow night, which was a Saturday and she was already excited about it. She'd never thought that she'd ever be that exited about a date again, but she was. And she was happy about that.

They had stayed in his office for about an hour until someone had found them, being surprised to see them both sitting on the floor, talking. She smiled as she remembered Nick's face, and the look in his eyes when they had kissed. Her thoughts drifted off while she drove, she could drive that way blindfolded, so she used the time to think about what had happened. Every second was forever imprinted in her brain, a thing she was never going to forget, she knew it.

Jenny stil smiled as she stopped her Volvo right in front of her garden gate, where she parked it every night. It was the same house she had shared with Mark, but he had moved out long ago, it almost seemed like a dream that she had been engaged with him. So she had the house to herself, having no one to wait in the evening whenever she had to work longer. Though Jenny hoped that would change soon.

Her stomach turned and made some obscene gurgling noises reminding her that she hadn't eaten very much today, yet Jenny decided she'd have to find the dress first until she could sit down and eat something. Slowly she walked through the small garden towards the old wooden door and reached for her key. She frowned after turning the key.

_Thought I locked it twice..._

Shaking her head and believing that she had just forgot it again she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Shrugging Jenny walked upstairs to her bed room, throwing her bag carelessly on her bed, along with her dark blue jacket. Then she turned to the big wardrobe on the other side of the room, and stood a moment to marvel it. It was huge, almost reaching the ceiling and over three meters long, a fitting combination between glass, mirrors and a nice shade of white, three doors separating each stack of shelves from the other. If she was true to herself, she should raid it soon, she had barely any space left in there, not to mention the closet for her shoes. Shaking her head again to lose the train of thoughts she stepped on the left side of it and pushed the door open. On top she had some casual clothes, mostly stuff for being at home, but beyond it she had put some dresses for the summer or for special occasions. Deciding that a date with Nick was a very special occasion she reached in and started searching for the dress she intended to wear. A few minutes of pushing and pulling and swearing because she couldn't find it at first, she pulled a dress engulfed by a plastic wrapping out. She had bought it years ago but never got around to wear it until now. Jenny had bought it for a party, but she got sick last minute and since then it was in her closet, waiting for this moment. So the truth was that she had never worn that dress yet, not until tomorrow and Nick would be the first man to see her in it. It was made of silk, red silk, how perfectely fitting. Red silk that shone and gleamed whenever she moved or walked. Jenny could hardly wait for Nick to set eyes on her outfit. He'd be lucky if he wouldn't faint.

Thinking about that made her giggle with satisfaction.

Whatever it was he was expecting, it certainly wouldn't be involving a red silken dress. Jenny walked down the stairs again thinking about what to do with her hair, but settled on it falling free over her shoulders, until she heard a window creak in the silence of her house. Suddenly she was fully aware; alarmed for she knew for certain that she hadn't left one open or opened one as she got here.

Therefore someone else must have opened it and judging by the state of her house that particular someone wasn't robbing her.

Tensed she walked towards the living room, leaving the further half of the corridor in darkness. Yet in the study beyond the living room she saw a light. Sure that she hadn't left that one on, Jenny trembled. She hadn't been in there for weeks, usually working up all her reports at the ARC so she would spend her evening in front of the television.

Slowly she proceeded towards the door of the study anyway, determined to prove to herself that no one was there and she slowly was getting paranoid, Jenny shuffled ever closer. As she passed a small table close to her couch which was decorated with a huge purple vase and a small silver picture frame, showing a smiling Jenny with her parents; she heard the floor creak behind her. Wishing for her bag because of her mobile phone and cursing her damned curiosity she spun around and was greeted by a sharp poke at her upper thigh.

Gasping she looked down, clutching her leg. A small dart was embedded in the thin fabric of her black trousers, piecing the skin beneath. Probably a tranquilizer dart, because suddenly her head felt so light and she staggered, her legs giving out underneath her as though they couldn't support the weight of her body anymore. Jenny collapsed, her flailing left arm knocked down the vase in a last desperate attemt to hold on to it, before she finally fell to the ground, her brown hair sprawled around her head.

With the last bit of energy left, Jenny managed to look up again, lifting her eyelids to see someone walking towards her.

It was Helen and she was grinning dangerously.

Then at last Jenny lost conciousness, falling into a dark confusing dream while the water from the vase wet her hair and clothes and the red lilies that she had bought two days ago embedded her. Helen towered above her, her left hand clasped the tranquilizer gun and her features were ruled by her usual grin, however right now her grin was more compared to some dangerous tigress having found a small helpless baby.

"Bind her hands, we'll take her with us." She said, turning to one of her cleaner clones standing in the deep shadows of the hallway. Without hesitation he hauled Jenny on his shoulder and walked out of the door as if it was the most natural thing in the world to carry an unconcious woman through the streets to their waiting Jeep. Helen followed closely behind. It probably wasn't until some time the next day until Nick found out that Jenny was missing, but there was no point in staying here. She also didn't bother closing the door or switching the lights off, knowing it would have a worse effect on Nick. He always hoped for the best, but expected the worst.

Without even one glance down the street again she drove away, after all, there were plans to be laid, traps to be set up and preparations to make.

* * *

The next day

Nick smiled while he drove his Hilux to his parking space. Oddly enough he couldn't wait to get working again.

_Rather seeing Jenny again..._

True as it was, he was in a very good mood this morning, he had slept well (which was really an improvement) and he was looking forward going out with Jenny tonight.

Besides, he wanted to try and get some more information out of Eve, hoping that no anomaly would spoil that plan. Or his plans for the evening. He had booked a table in a small italian restaurant, near the Thames, hoping Jenny would like it.

He thought of the previous day while he walked through the familiar corridors of the ARC. The way Jenny's eyes had sparkled and her smile until Sarah's voice broke his train of thoughts, calling after him and he could already hear her swift movements on the concrete, catching up with him. She probably had been within one of the smaller labs or the common room and was now walking next to him, looking a wee bit concerned, but other than that nothing seemed to bother her.

"What's wrong Sarah?"

In front of them the double doors leading to the main room came into view and even as Nick pushed the left one open and walked through he heard Sarah ask him something.

"Have you seen Jenny today?" Frowning Nick came to a halt about 9 feet from the doors and turned around to look at Sarah.

"No, I just arrived. Why?"

He saw Sarah wave her hand dismissively, but the movement seemed a bit too acted to be genuine.

"Oh, I just wanted to ask her something, it's not that important."

And even as she said so, Connor and Abby joined them also, Becker standing guard next to the ADD with a look on his face as though nothing could be beyond his power.

"You haven't seen Jenny either? We've been waiting for her." Abby looked up at Nick and her voice made it clear that they had waited a while.

"Come on, I bet she's stuck in traffic. She'll be here soon." Connor tried to ensure her, but he too looked too worried for his words to show any effect on the blonde ex-zookeeper.

Realising that, Nick practically froze to the spot, trying to surpress a slight tremble within his hands.

"You mean, you can't find her? At all?" suddenly he sounded very alarmed and Becker came closer, now listening intensively and, as it seemed at least, a little bit concerned too.

"No, we've been trying to reach her since we're here. You know her, normally she's the first one of us to arrive, and now we can't reach her at all. She's not responding to her mobile or at home. No one has seen her since she went home last night."

At that report from Abby a somewhat sickening feeling spread throughout Nick's stomach, they were right, it was not one of Jenny's habits to be late at work. At least without telling anyone, so something had to be wrong, because she wasn't picking up her mobile either and normally she carried that damned thing with her everywhere.

He turned around to tell Becker to get his men, but the Captain was already talking over the headphone, rallying the backup as it could be said. Seeing this Nick turned on his heels and proceeded back to his car. Only a second later the others caught up with him, Connor wearing a grim expression on his face with Abby walking next to the boy, Sarah came last.

"Do you think something happened to her?" Abby asked while she climbed the backseat of the car, together with Sarah. Connor took the passengers seat next to Nick.

"I don't know, but I'm not taking that chance." Nick answered firmly, already turning the key causing the Hilux come to life, and wondered for a split second why he was so goddamn protective of Jenny. Of course, he knew the answer, but right now wasn't really the time to ponder on his feelings.

_First, check out if she's alright, then you can think of it._

While he steered the truck out of the ARC, Nick dialled Jenny's number again, but no one answered. The drive itself was silent, each one of them wrapped within their own thoughts, and suddenly all too aware of what had happened the last time someone had attacked them. All of Nick's thoughts were ruled by it. Last time he had only barely jumped the gun _literally spoken_. What if this time Jenny had been the target, not him, just because Helen needed to meddle with things and rule his life. He wondered if Helen knew him and Jenny had kissed. If she did, everything she did now would mean she was jealous. And Nick knew how Helen got when she was jealous.

Thinking about all the possible things that could have happened to Jenny made him sick with worry. Nervously he glanced back in the mirror, seeing Becker and his men in the car behind. At length they reached the house Jenny lived in. Her Volvo was still in front, which meant that she hadn't left the house at least. Nick stopped the Hilux right behind her car and walked around the hood, looking towards the house.

And then he froze to the spot, getting even more pale, chill sensations ran down his spine and all he could do was stare. The front door was wide open and inside some lights were left on. Connor and the others must have sensed Nick stiffen and clanced towards the door even as Becker did the same. Without any command or signal he glanced back at his men, all armed and ready to roll, nodding towards the house and swarming off to secure the area and the house itself. Nick shook himself out of his stupor and followed them first, the others walking in file behind their leader, all pale and concerned. He had the bone crushing feeling that he had lost Jenny now, just like he had lost Claudia.

_Only God knows what happened to her..._

He entered the house, glancing at the warm coloured walls around him and it didn't look like there had been much of a fight. All was still neatly cleaned, nothing was broken and it looked like Jenny had just left for a few minutes. But in that case she would have closed the door and shut the lights off. Nick heard the soldiers rummaging through the house, scanning every room for possible offenders as well as for any sign of Jenny. At last they heard the shouted cry "All clear!" from certain points of the house, Becker already walking downstairs wearing a grim expression on his face.

"She's not here; her bag is upstairs containing her mobile and keys. No one else here as well." He responded in a very soldier-like manner.

Nick nodded gravely and walked along the hallway when he heard a soldier call for him and Becker. Swiftly they were all gathered in the living room, Nick glancing down at the remains of a purple vase and some red lilies, the water still clinging to the carpet. It was the only evidence that Jenny ddin't leave at her own free will. And that could only mean one word.

"Helen." He voiced his thoughts, looking at Connor who just nodded, staring down, breathing deeply. He saw Conor take breath to respond but Sarah called out first. She was standing at the door between hallway and living room holding something small and silver shining in her hand. Walking closer she lifted the thing and revealed a tranquilizer dart. Nick suddenly remembered that Eve had told him Helen had once used a tranquilizer gun to catch her and the thought of Jenny being hauled around like an animal made him furious. Though he tried to bury his feelings as deep as he could, the others saw the wrath written plainly over his face and remained silent. They were all angry, even the normally so controlled Becker had to breathe deeply to restrain him. Abby came closer and eyed the dart.

"Looks like the ones we use. I bet it fell off, because there was anesthetic in it, but these things are designed to fall off to prevent further injury. Probably fell off while they were carrying her away."

Nick closed his eyes for an instant, trying in vain to get the mind movie of Jenny's limp body out of his head, but thankfully his thoughts were interrupted by a soldier, standing near the kichen counter in front of a small dining table.

"Sir, Professor Cutter, you should see this."

He pointed at a single white envelope standing on the table, leaning on an apple, both set there so they would be found. On the front a hand had written 'Nick Cutter', as if they knew he would be here.

Grimly he stared at the paper and the slender writing of the letters.

"It's Helens handwriting." He said in an icy voice, streching out his hand to lift the envelope, but he stopped suddenly when he realised the bomb Helen had set up within the ARC. Who told him this wasn't containing something too? Certainly no bomb, it was too small for it, but something else, though he couldn't think of something other than a bomb.

Becker seemed to read his thoughts and amidst his anger he grinned at him.

"Funny, you're beginning to think like a soldier would." With that he lifted the envelope with the barrel of his rifle and flipped it carefully over. It was plain white, no wires or any fluids on it, but inside they could see a CD.

"Looks like there is some message for us." Becker stated.

"Bag it in, we'll take a look at the ARC." Nick said in a low voice, he had a feeling that Lester would skin him alive, because that was his fault and he knew it.

_But dam__n me, Helen will pay for this... _

_

* * *

  
_

The drive back to the ARC was filled with Connor making assumptions at what had happened, which wasn't helpful for either of them, especially not Nick. With every scenario Connor thought of, he had a new devastating picture in mind, seeming so real he could have sworn he had seen it. Therefore he tried to block out the noises, wrapping himself in the dull cocoon of nothingness he had felt after Stephen had died. It had helped to focus him, keep him get on with work, however now it wasn't working. He couldn't let go of the thought of Jenny being in Helen's grasp. And what could she want from him or them? Why had she taken Jenny? Shot her with a tranquilizer dart like some random creature.

_Oh God, if I get my hands on her..._

At length they reached the ARC again. Lester had already been informed by Becker, so he was past his first fury but still pretty high up the wall. However he seemed to sense that right now wasn't the best time to yell at Nick, the man looked like he'd strangle Helen when he found her. So Lester at least left him alone, which was seldom enough normally.

Instead he saw Lester stand on one of the windows of his office, watching Connor handing the envelope over to some lab staff, who brought it into a small lab that could be sterilised within seconds and all of the staff had to wear breathing gear. It took a while to test it for bacteria or viruses or any kind of microbes that might harm humans.

And all the while Nick leaned at one of the desks, his gaze fixed into nowhere; pale, silent and somewhat dangerous. His arms were folded across his chest, eyes narrowed down he could only think of what Helen might do to Jenny. Yet every thought got him more infuriated than the one before. Then he tried to think of what Helen could possibly want, but right now, at least in the current state of his mind, angry as he was, her behaviour seemed totally irrational. At least to him.

"Nick?" Abby's voice made him snap out of his thoughts and he looked at the younger woman. He raised an eyebrow in token if something had come up and even though he hadn't spoken one word, Abby understood and shook her head.

"They're still testing it for health hazards." She answered.

Nick just nodded and was silent.

"How are you holding up?" she asked him quietly while she shifted her position to stand next to him, also leaning at the table. Just yesterday he would have told her that she needn't be worried about him, but now he just shrugged. He was blaming himself and Abby knew that all too well. He had done that after Stephen and after that thing with Claudia. Now he was blaming himself for Jenny. Yet at the same time that silent anger he showed was scary as hell, Abby had never seen him like this before and silenty made a mental mark that he shouldn't get a gun just yet.

Nick shook his head, closed his eyes for an instant before he finally replied.

"I don't know. I'm sick of Helen's games. Now Jenny is missing because of me."

"This isn't your fault." Abby stated firmly, there was no need for Nick to punish himself.

Silently he looked up and met her gaze for a while.

"If it weren't for me, Helen would leave you alone. Stephen was right: She's a bitch. Can't help that."

Abby wanted to reply, but they were interrupted by Connor, walking towards them with the CD in his hand.

"Ok, so here's the good news. Apparently it's bacteria-free and not contaminated with any foreign substances. At least the lab said so. The bad news is, we don't know yet what it contains." The young man said in his usual bubbly self, though it seemed a bit too acted to be real. He was as much tensed as all the others were and fell silent, plugging his laptop to one of te bigger screens of the ADD. If there was a computer virus on it, then at least it would only contamine Connor's laptop instead of the whole ADD. Silently Nick was surprised that he'd do that, that laptop meant a lot to Connor.

He watched the boy put the CD into the disk drive and Connor started typing. Then, the monitor went black, it seemed that some program had automatically started. On the screen Helen's grinning face appeared and everyone tensed a bit more.

So it was true, Helen had kidnapped Jenny and now she wanted to gloat with her victory.

* * *

Ok, Cliffhanger I know...

You know the deal, write reviews on what you think!

Greetings Callie


	7. Chapter 7

Ok, next chapter up, as promised!

* * *

"Hello Nick and presumably everyone else. Since you see his, my plan worked and I have your precious Jenny." The figure on the screen fell silent, showing a disgusted face. Everyone heard Nick grind his teeth at the revelation of her.

"Well, I'll make this simple for you. I have something you want back. And you have something I want back. So I suggest that the best thing would be if we trade. You bring me Eve and I'll give you Jenny. If you do as I say, no one gets hurt. And we wouldn't want that, now would we? So now this is settled, I'll tell you now what I want you to do. On this disc there are precise data on where and when the next anmomaly is going to appear. I want you, Nick; to bring me Eve, no one else goes through. If I so much as catch sight of one of your men, Lester, Jenny Lewis dies. And believe me, it will be very painful."

Helen paused for effect, probably to give each of them time to imagine Jenny being mauled by something terrible.

"It's really simple, Nick. Bring me Eve and I let you take Jenny back with you. No one gets harmed if you do as I say. Now, tempus fugit, as my tutor always liked to say, I have to go. See you soon."

With that, the program stopped and the screen went normal again and still everyone stared in shock at it as if it would reveal all the answers. Lester, who had stood behind all of them, was silent for once in his life, but Nick reckoned that he'll recover soon enough to fire his sorry ass, simply because it was his wife after all who continued to play games with the team.

He'd never thought the day would come that he'd hate Helen for what she did, he always had tried to think of her the best he could, even when she became more ficious with every day that passed, yet it was true, now it was enough. She had robbed him of Claudia, killed Stephen, shot him and left him for dead, and now had taken Jenny hostage. That was just the last drop that broke the dam, and he hated her truly for it.

And though he didn't want to play her game, Nick saw no way of escaping it. But he could trick her. She was a manipulative bitch, true enough, but he could play that game too. While he walked towards Eve's room, his mind worked overtime to figure out a plan to get Helen this time. At least trap her so that they could bring her back and lock her up for ever if necessary.

* * *

Eve sat on the ground again, her legs crossed, looking trough the book which the man called Nick had given her. It was very interesting to see all those to her unknown creatures from a safe point instead of catching quick glimpses while running for pure survival from their kin. While she watched the picture of a tiger, her sensitive ears picked up the sound of someone walking towards the door and she looked up to see who was visiting her. Yesterday only Sarah had been here, but since that no one had visited her. She asked herself if they came to get another sample from her, but she quickly abandoned the thought. The footfalls were too heavy to be one of the scientists and it walked slowly. They tended to walk quickly with at least two of the soldiers with them, but this person was alone. And Sarah usually walked very swift and light, wearing soft shoes not unlike her own, so it at least couldn't be Sarah or the scientists with the needles.

Interested she waited motionless, staring at the door and watched Nick come inside her room, and what was particularly interesting, he came in here alone. No soldiers, no weapons, no scientists and no one else. She looked into his eyes and instantly knew something was wrong. He looked like something terrible had happened and Eve's first thought was Helen. Simply because in her world that name usually meant terrible things.

Eve stood up, barely heeding her leg protest at the sudden movement; she had the feeling that right now pain was the least of her problems. Carefully she stepped forward, placing the book on her bed, her black eyes locked into his.

"What happened? You look like a tusk-deer rampaged through your home." She tried to be funny, but he didn't laugh. Instead he took a deep breath and looked down for a moment ere he spoke again.

"Eve, listen. I've come to ask a favour of you."

Wary, yet interested, Eve frowned and backed away a few paces again, getting in safe distance to the human.

"What is that favour?" she asked him quietly and at the same moment she wished she hadn't asked because she was scared to death of the answer. Still his eyes were locked upon hers, Eve sensed that he fought within himself whether to ask or not, which made her even more nervous. So it meant the favour wasn't just big, it was dangerous as well.

"Do you remember Jenny?" Nick asked and there was a hint of sadness lost within his voice as if he already had lost someone before Jenny, yet Eve doubted he knew that she could hear it. Unable to speak, too frightened of the manner of favour he could ask, she nodded silent.

Nick looked down again, staring grimly at the ground.

"Ok, here's the thing. Helen has taken Jenny hostage. She sent a message that either I bring you back or else she'd kill Jenny." His voice cracked slightly and Eve realised that there was a deep feeling hidden underneath the words. It seemed that imagining Jenny getting hurt was a thing that he feared the most. Yet right now Eve couldn't feel pity for him. She had understood what the favour was and now she was getting angry.

"No! I will not go back to that place!" she shouted feruciously. There was no way ever that she'd go back to Helen to be her specimen. Not even a pack of fully grown hyenas would get her near that place.

"Listen, I'm not asking you to stay. I'm asking you to help me get Jenny out of there alive. And in order to do that, I'm going to need your help."

_That almost sounded like he has a plan..._

"So you want to try and trick her? Thats not as easy as it sounds, you know." She spat back at him. It was an idiotic thing, even to her, and she had done many idiotic things in her life so far. In the corner of her eye Eve spotted the other members of his team watching them through the glass. They kept silent, as if they knew this as something their leader had to settle with Eve alone. Yet Nick was serious, he really wanted to lure Helen into a trap.

"Eve, she will not let Jenny go unless I come there with you. We don't have another choice. Believe me, if there was one I would take it. We'll at least pretend to hand you over. Once I have Jenny, I'll push her back through the anomaly and then I'll help you."

Gasps were heard on the other side of the glass and Nick turned his head to look at them.

"I'm not asking your opinion on this. We don't have a choice. Either we do this or Jenny gets killed. And that is something I won't even consider. And besides, who said, I'd go unarmed? That wasn't part of her demands. She never said I had to go there without protection. And do you really think I forgot what happened the last time I faced her without a gun of my own?" he asked them, looking at each one of them and Eve saw the soldier looking down, his forehead frowned in thought. Then he looked up and left the group, getting inside the room. The others hesitated only a moment before they followed, Connor being the first one to move followed by Abby and then Sarah. As they were all gathered inside the room, Nick looked at them and smiled, grateful that he could count on them.

Eve watched the silent communication between Nick and Connor, something unknown to the others within their gaze and realised that if someone was a part of this team; their pack, they didn't leave you behind.

After a few minutes of staring silent and thinking about it, she knew that they trusted her in this. They trusted her not to play them, not to be on Helen's side, they trusted her to help them. Sighing, believing she was going to make a huge mistake, she looked long at Nick.

"All right. I'll help you. But if I do it, I want my weapons back."

* * *

"No way!" Lester practically shouted at Nick, Eve standing amongst the others, watching the man in the dark suit standing about a pace away from Nick.

"Lester, you know it's the only way. And when we go there, why not go prepared?" Nick asked calmly, not moving an inch, staring into Lester's eyes.

"You know there is a slight difference between going prepared and allowing the enemy to get the advantage."

"And who is the enemy from your point of view?" Nick asked, eyebrows raised.

They all watched Lester look past him and pointing at Eve. "Her of course."

Becker, who stood next to Eve, tensed slightly, but kept silent. Instead Abby spoke to Lester.

"If she would have wanted to hurt us, she could have done so already."

Eve was surprised for once in her life. Someone protected her. In awe she stared at the girl who was only a few summers older than she was herself and was amazed by the stern look in her eyes. Seeing that Eve was now a kind of part of this pack, at least from her point of view, she stepped fearlessly forward, stepping up at Lester and locked her gaze upon his.

"Tell me, when exactly did I betray you? I never lied to you about anything I said, I agreed to help you get one of your pack out of the grasp of the woman I hate the most, I agreed to go back into the worst nightmare ever dreamt, I just wanted my weapons and my clothes back because going into my world without preparations can easily get you killed. So tell me, when did I betray your trust?"

Now Connor jumped onto the train.

"She never attacked any of us, she followed your orders, she isn't the enemy." He said, proud of himself that he had the courage to stand up against his boss. Yet that earned him only a unbelieving glance from Lester. He was falling back into his old patterns of behaviour, knowing very well that he could throw her back into that room again, which angered Eve a slight bit more. She wasn't fearful of him anymore.

"Tell me, what is it you suggest? Throw me in chains over to her? It wouldn't be the first time I escaped her."

"Escaped. Or let loose." He added in a very low voice with a stare at her.

"It is true, there is nothing I can say or do, that would make you believe what I say is true. But if there is anything I have learned in my experiences with Helen, then it's how important trust is. I'm willing to help you and risk my life and my sanity doing it."

"So you suggest we, well rather I should trust you? After admitting freely that you had several encounters with Helen in the past years?"

Her eyes quickly gleamed silver again as she rolled them. It made the impression that Eve thought Lester was a bit stupid, which he certainly wasn't.

"You're trying to catch me off guard, aren't you? You're waiting for me to falter and say something that would ensure you that I lied to everyone here. Well, it won't happen."

Suspiciously Lester locked eyes with her, stepping a bit closer.

"And why is that?" he asked almost innocently, yet Nick knew he tried again.

_There it is again... pinball conversation number two..._

Eve smirked up at him, a challenging look on her face.

"Simply because I never lied." She said plainly and Nick did his best to hide a grin, despite the tensed situation. She had outwit Lester, which was funny by itself. Yet Lester was down maybe, but now out of the game yet.

"And is there anything that might prove that?" he asked her after a few seconds of surprise.

Eve looked down for an instant, scratching her cheek with her left hand. Then she looked up again.

"No." She answered calmly with a slight grin across her lips. It wasn't akin to Helen's grins, Eve just knew she had won against Lester now, when they all saw him shrug and look at Nick again.

"You'll do it anyway, no matter what I say, right?"

They all nodded in unison, even Becker. They all were determined to get on with the plan, with Lester or without him.

"Fine, but if she attacks you from behind when you least expect it, don't come running to me." He said in his usual arrogant self and sat down behind his desk again.

* * *

ok, I'm not entirely satisfied with the last encounter so far between Eve and Lester, but it's ok I guess.

Next chapter is already in progress and it will be the one where they go through the anomaly... But what happens then, only I know yet hehe

You know the deal, give me reviews and I'll give you thanks^^


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry again, it took a bit to finish the chapter.

Thanks for all the reviews I recieved, I was happy as always^^

* * *

One week later.

Today was the day they all waited for. The anomaly would open and they could get Jenny back. Thankfully it had been a quiet week, no anomalies for a change, but that allowed them to plan every detail. Nick had barely slept within the last few days, instead he had talked to Eve a lot, she had explained to them how the country looked where she lived so it would be possible for the backup to find them quickly, if they had to. Didn't made much sense though, because they didn't know where the anomaly would open to, but Eve had explained them what Helen research facility looked like from far away and inside. She had a lot of training in escaping there, she had told them. It seemed like she was the only one that believed that things wouldn't be going according to plan and Becker, as a little surprise, had agreed with her.

"Murphys law." He had said. "No plan survives the first 30 seconds of battle." To which Connor had asked if that law came from the same Murphy that had said that a bread with jelly always landed on the jelly-side, when thrown off a table.

They did as much planning as they could, expecting every possible creature on the other side and somewhat glad that Eve could tell them how to kill them effectively. They did their best to avoid thinking of Jenny, but it was plain to see that with every day that passed Nick got more impatiently. That morning he was leaning on one of the pillars in the main room, watching Eve and Becker talk and he wondered if that would be the case if none of this would have happened. Early this morning, before the others had arrived, all pale and tired, he had gone down to the armoury, looking through it until he had found what he was looking for. A bulletproof vest. Which was another weird thing. If someone had told him 5 years ago that in the future he would be meeting his wife with a bulletproof vest on, he would have laughed. Now it seemed plausible and nessecary. He wouldn't go through that anomaly without it. Sure, there still was the possibility that she'd shoot him in the head this time, making sure he died, yet the vest offered at least a feeling of protection and control of the situation. Now he wore it underneath his clothes, so it couldn't be seen. He had decided that he'd only take one gun with him, that way Helen would be less suspicious. Of course the others weren't thrilled of that idea, but that also was nessecary. They had to trick Helen, after all, so she should get the feeling that she ruled his damn universe after all.

The plan was simple enough. Eve was to wear fake handcuffs without a lock, so she could open them easily. Another one of Connor's ideas. They would go through it, Eve hiding her claws underneath her clothes, wrapped in some fabric that matched the colouring of her garment. So she could open the cuffs whenever she liked, put the claws on and was able to defend herself. Yet that was planned only after Jenny was safely through the anomaly. Nick would stay and help Eve and hopefully trap Helen. And as an additive safety precaution, Becker would follow them through the anomaly after some time. That was the tricky point, because they couldn't agree on how much time they got. It was the only variable thing. It was possible that the anomaly would stay open for 5 minutes or 5 days, no one could really tell, except Helen maybe. She had predicted when the anomaly would open, so it was possible that she also knew when it was going to close. And even if they knew how much time they got, the opportune moment for the soldiers to follow them was impossible to foresee. If they followed too soon, the plan could fail and Helen could simply open fire on them, as Becker had pointed out. And if they came later it was also possible that Helen had shot them already and they were all dead.

_Damn, that really gives me headaches..._

Nick jumped as he felt a hand on his left shoulder. Looking back he saw Sarah standing silently behind him, her expression concerned.

"Sorry, I was thinking." Nick apologised to her.

"You do that a lot lately." she answered, stepping up to his side.

"Yeah, I know." Nick simply said, giving her a lopsided grin which she didn't respond to. Instead her frown deepened and she averted his gaze, staring on the ground instead.

"You know, I haven't been here very long, but I consider myself part of the team. And I think I speak out what everyone here thinks if I say that I don't like this plan." Sarah said, still loooking down at her shoes and the ground beneath them.

Surprised Nick lifted an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Sarah spoke again.

"I know that there is no other way except playing her game, but I want you to be careful at least. I'm not too keen on seeing you injured again and I'm sure no one here is. So please, be careful." Sarah added ere she walked away without any further word.

Nick reflected what she had said to him. Of course, the last thing he wanted was to get injured, but the hard truth was that with Helen, no one was really sure how things would turn out in the end. And even if the only thing he wanted was getting Jenny out of there alive it was possible that they all got killed today. Though he didn't like that thought at all, at least he was prepared for it. He closed his eyes and shook his head disbelievingly and glanced at his watch.

Helen had said the anomaly would open at 8:27am, and now it was 7:40am, so they should be going. Looking up again he saw that they all looked at him, both concerned and expectant, so he pushed himself away from the pillar and walked out first, followed by Eve and his team.

Becker had a team of special forces outside, already waiting for them to get going.

The drive itself was silent; none of them felt the urge to speak. Even Connor was silent. They were all concerned and personally Nick felt a dread never experienced before. It almost seemed to him that whenever it got to Jenny or Claudia his feelings were going haywire. Or maybe that was just because Helen was involved. Things had a tendency to turn to bullshit lately whenever she was around.

His thoughts trailed off as they reached the place Helen had sent them. Ironically it was the exact same warehouse where they had stumbled across Eve almost three weeks ago. Ok, she had been thrown at them, but still, irony at its best.

With a nod, Becker and his men swarmed off once more to scan their surroundings as well as every possible hiding place. Nick glanced at his watch again. Twenty minutes to go still. He supposed it was enough for them to get ready and put up the equipment needed. As he watched Becker's men enter the warehouse itself, he turned and grabbed one of the boxes, ignoring the slight pinch of pain in his chest; and set off delibaretaly towards the grey shape in front of them. It was still early, and even if they were in a more crowded place in London, it was unlikely someone saw them. At least not members of the public anyway.

Entering the warehouse Nick saw nothing out of the ordinary. It looked normal, only the bloodstains on the floor spoke that something had died here. Carefully he looked around, but as far as he could tell, no one had been here since they had. The blood was old, older than one week, so it could be the creature's or Eve's blood, at least not Jenny's. Abby caught him staring at the dark red stains, frowning; and edged a bit closer, trying to catch his thoughts. Though she didn't have as much training with that than Jenny had, it worked well enough. _Either that or it was harder than usual to hide them_, Nick thought grimly.

"Do you think it could be...?" Abby didn't dare to finish the sentence, too frightened of the answer. To her relief, Nikc shook his head firmly.

"No, I don't think so. I think its the blood of the creature Eve killed. And besides, as horrifying as it sounds, alive Jenny is of greater worth to Helen than she would be if she were already dead."

But still, it was plain to see that only the imagination of Jenny suffering pain because of his former wife unleashed a wrath as powerful as a thunderstorm on the Pacific Ocean.

They started setting up equipment as soon as Becker was back and reported that the had searched every hole and crack in the walls and ad found nothing. No hidden devices, caeras, wires or offenders whatsoever, be they human or animal.

Eve watched them work, silently, her dark shape frozen against the dull grey of the wall behind her; a figure prepared for hunt and kill in order to save someone she barely knew. Somehow the whole team felt better having her on their side, her silence reassuring them, her will to face her worst nightmare was amazing in itself. Her silver eyes flickered now and then, piercing the vast shadows, watched them patiently while her body remained motionless. Unfortunately none of their scientists had been able to tell them why her eyes turned silver from time to time, but the test results of her blood were not back either. So everyone just assumed it was a birth deficit, something where evoultion had played a little.

As Connor was finished setting up his newest gadget, the Anomaly closing device (for lack of a better name), Nick looked at his watch again. About three minutes and the anomaly would appear, so he took up his gun and loaded it, ignoring the weird glances from the others. For them it was still unusual to see him with a gun, but to him it was beginning to get normal, which was disturbing in itself. Now he was somehow glad that Stephen had shown him how to use a gun properly. Closing his eyes he tried not to think of Stephen again, or the day he died, ripped to shreds by a bunch of hungry predators, his life spilled needlessly upon the floor of that room. Remembering it Nick still felt supressed anger and guilt. And boy, he felt guilty, if it hadn't been his goddamned pride, Stephen could still be alive.

The beeping of the hand-held detector yanked him out of his thoughts and he watched the anomaly appear right in front of them. It was in the exact same space where it had been last time and Eve stepped out of the shadows to stand beside him.

"It looks the same." She whispered in awe.

"They all pretty much look the same. They just differ in size and place of appearance." Connor answered her, already adjusting the Anomaly Closer facing towards the shards of light.

Nick looked down at Eve, his brow frowned in slight concern.

"You ready?" he asked quietly and Eve met his gaze with her eyes flickering silver again for a moment.

"As ready as I can be. I guess it's time to bind my hands then." She answered with a determinded expression at them all ad glared towards the anomaly, as if the anomaly itself was her enemy.

Nick nodded and took the cuffs together with her claws hidden underneath brown fabric and watched her hide the weapons underneath her shirt; then she stretched out her hands, palms upward and watched Nick put on the handcuffs. He watched her, while she tested them again, open them and; now satisfied more, he close them again.

Then, turning towards the anomaly, she breathed deeply, seeming not so certain about all that anymore, but she remained silent not wanting them to see her doubts. Abby and Connor walked towards Nick, the young woman giving him a quick hug and the both wished them good luck. Sarah stood beside Becker, one hand clutching his arm, the other at her face, she was biting her nails again.

Right before they stepped through, Nick turned once more towards Connor.

"You're in charge while I'm gone." His voice made it clear that Connor would be in charge also if he didn't make it back. The boy opened his mouth to protest, but Nick never gave him a chance to. He and Eve stepped through the rotating shatters, side by side, none of them knowing what would happen next.

"Now all we can do is waiting." Abby stated and sat down on top of one of the empty boxes, never taking her eyes off the anomaly.

* * *

Lightning and thunder clashed throughout the sky to greet them, while the wind howled through the branches like a wounded animal. It was dark on this side of the anomaly, both from the storm above their heads and the night that enclosed them. Cautiosly Nick looked around himself, his right hand holding the gun firmly, its barrel pointing towards the ground, but he saw no one. A sudded and sick fear crept over him as he thought of the possibility that this was only a trap and Helen had her creatures stationed within the dark, waiting to get the command to kill them. Not even the kevlar he wore would protect him from the claws of a future predator or anything of that sort.

Then, in the corner of his eye, he saw Eve's head turn quickly towards the undergrowth and some bushes at their left and she growled low. A strange sound for a human, yet now it seemed fitting. Her eyes flashed silver again and she ducked a bit, the powerful muscles of her shoulders and her thighs tensing and Nick knew she spotted something. He followed her gaze and saw a small shape, black against the dark shadow of the forest behind.

Suddenly a flash of light danced above their heads, lightning lashed across the sky, bathing everything in purple and blinding white light. And even though the light faded within a heartbeat Nick had seen the face of the human hiding there.

"Come out of there Helen, I can see you." He commanded.

A slight chuckle was heard and in the light of other lightning bolts Nick could see the woman he once loved walking towards him, her clones after her. At least twenty of them; all armed with rifles and machine guns, ready to do anything Helen might command from them. Yet there was one person who wasn't there.

Wherever Nick looked he couldn't spot Jenny, she wasn't with them. Helen had not brought her here. So she had planned her own plot.

"Nick put the gun away, before someone get's hurt." Helens words made it clear that Jenny would be the one getting injured.

"Where's Jenny?" he asked, his gun still pointing at Helen, fighting to maintain some kind of patience. But the smug on Helen's face was almost more than he could endure.

"Oh, she's safe. For now at least. Thanks for bringing Eve back. It would have been such a nuisance to hunt her down myself. She belongs here, this is her home."

As a response Eve just growled a bit louder and stepped closer to Nick, desperately looking for an escape. She had to think about that soldier, Captain Becker, who had said that no plan ever survived the first thirty seconds of battle.

_Looks like we broke the record for failed plans..._

Eve shot a quick glance at Nick and she imagined he thought the same thing. Without Helen it was almost impossible to get Jenny back, there could be a thousand places where she could have hid Jenny, aside from those Eve knew.

"Where is she, Helen? Your conditions are fulfilled. Eve is here and I'm alone. So where is Jenny?"

Madness flickered in Helens eyes for an instant, her clones surrounding them, while Nick and Helen estimated each other.

"Come with me, I'll take you to your precious Jenny."

With that, Helen just turned on her heels and began to walk towards the edges of the forest again.

"And what if I don't?" asked Nick challenging.

"Then," Helen answered glancing back over her shoulder, "Jenny dies. And besides, it's not like you have that much of a choice." She clicked her fingers and immidiately her clones surounded them, aiming the rifles at Nick and Eve.

Realising that Helen had the better advantages Nick lowered his gun and was pushed forwards to follow Helen, Eve close behind him. So close that he could hear her voice talking quietly over the howling of the wind above them.

"What do we do now?" she asked and is sounded she was as concerned as he was.

"We follow her, for now. There is still a chance that Jenny is alive. We'll proceed as planned, we just have to get through the anomaly in time."

To that Nick heard no clear answer, just a mutter of words and a huff of disgust. And if he was true to himself, the further they walked away from the glittering light of the anomaly and the safety that it promised towards the darkness in front of them, the more he thought of what a fool he had been. Helen had always been ahead of them and though he was pretty good at playing her game, he was far away from beating her in it.

* * *

At length they reached a large building, hidden underneath tall trees and huge ferns. It was surrounded by a fence and some boxes on the ground leading wires towards the metal frame of the fence gave the impression that the fence was electrocuted. Looking towards the depressing shape of bricks and concrete, no light was seen outside through the veils of rain, which had started to slash down upon them. Nick supposed this was Helen's research facility, the place where she had created all the clones and was brooding over what horror to unleash next on them.

The building was one story high, large windows on the side, one door leading inside, opposite to the gate in the fence, which was also closed and locked behind them. Still not speaking, Nick and Eve followed Helen through the broad doors and ended up in a large lobby-like room, cluttered with many things unrecongnizable to Nick. Most of it were just parts of some machines, some were devices he had never seen before.

_I think Connor would know what those are..._

Dim lights cast their rays over various objects, but the light wasn't nearly strong enough to let them see all of the room. Nick tried to memorize the way they took, but he got lost after the sixth of seventh identical looking corridor.

_Never was much good at this sort of stuff..._

They took a few flights of broad stairs down and slowly they came to the parts of the lab where Helen's people worked. Men in white coats, bending over microscobes or test tubes, or prodding bleeding bodyparts of some poor creature. To his horror he could even see some larger tables, dead creatures unknown to him lying on them, being examined by the scientists, and they weren't gentle. Shuddering he doubted that he'd ever forget the sound of a bonesaw. Trying to shut his mind off, he walked on, trying to look at the table as little as possible. Some of her scientists looked up as they passed, but most kept their eyes at their work, not heeding anything that wasn't under the light of a microscope.

Nick was only glad to leave that room for an instant, as he realized they walked into a large room, stuffed with cages on either side of them. A horrid stench filled the room and poor creatures either stood or lay inside of the cages, some dead, some probably wishing to be dead. Creatures Eve had told him about, like something close to that hyena-thing which she had killed, only smaller. But also creatures he never saw before, even something Nick thought to be a flamebird. Most of its feathers were gone, it was bigger than a falcon, almost the size of an eagle, on the wings still remains of red and orange feathers could be seen. While Nick looked at it he thought with pity at what a magnificent bird it must have been once. Now it was only sitting in the corner of its cage, swaying from side to side, not heeding the humans walking past it.

Disgusted Nick looked away for a second. All those animals were gathered here to satisfy Helen's neverending thirst for knowledge. To him those were only tormented beasts and Nick had to think of his grandfather who had always told him: _He who breaks a thing to see how it works has left the path of wisdom_. In this case it was Helen, who broke everything and got madder each time she did so. Looking at the creatures within the cages, dead eyes watching them as they passed, he feared of what could have happened to Jeny in the week she had been here. Had she been locked away in a cage, just like those animals?

They walked on, finally leaving the room with all those barely-living creatures, ending up in a corridor with six or eights doors at either side. Again, the light wasn't strong enough to make anything out for sure. There Helen stopped and turned around at Nick, eyeing him knowingly.

"You will surrender your gun, or else I'll have you shot where you stand."

Unable to ignore her demand, Nick sighed and handed the gun over to one of the clones, who slid it into one of his pockets.

"So what now, Helen? You planning to gloat with your achievements?" he asked in a low voice, anger clouding his bright eyes.

Helen just smirked and walked towards a certain door, the third in that line on the right side of him. The door was old and rusty at the edges, yet it seemed it would withstand even the attack of a large predator the size of a small horse.

"Not really. We're here to fulfill my part of the bargain."

With that she opened the door and stepped inside, Nick and Eve pushed in after her. Nick looked around the room for a second, but gasped as he saw a slender figure at the far side of the room, huddled into a corner, dirty brown hair falling openly over her shoulders, shaking in fear. But the human looked up and well-known brown eyes met his blue ones, suddenly filling with tears and hope and joy and love that he had come. Nick allowed his eyes to take in everything about her to grasp what had happened. Her clothes were tattered at the edges, but still the same she wore that evening he last saw her. Yet now brown stains of dirt and dried mud accompanied the dark blue of her trousers, her hair ruffled from the lack of a brush, her beautiful face pale and her cheeks sunken, deep dark shadows underneath her once sparkling eyes. At least there was no evidence that she was hurt in any way, no wounds or bruises, that fact calming him a bit. Clumsily Jenny stood up and hurled herself at him, sobbing helplessly, because he had come to get her out of here.

And Nick held her, struggling to hold back tears of joy for finding her and pity for the state she was in; stroking her hair softly, hoping she would be fine again. He simply ignored the fact that Helen was standing not three feet away and they were neither out of this place nor through the anomaly in safety, blocking out everything because right now nothing else mattered than Jenny, his Jenny, clinging on to the fabric of his black shirt, dampening it with hot tears.

* * *

So this was the long expected chapter of them finding each other again. Sorry for the state Jenny is in, but I thought it would be fitting, because I couldn't imagine Helen being gentle with her...

Ok, now its getting really interesting, next chapter Eve's past will be uncovered and I think there will be some eye-openers.I'm uploading it as soon as possible, but it could take a few days.

And let me know what you think about it, love it, hate it? Review equal in happy dances through the room!


	9. Chapter 9

Another day, another chapter! Here's the Eve revelation-chapter!

Thanks for all the reviewers, really you've been a huge help for me and they always make me happy *smiles* 

* * *

"Toching, very touching." Helen remarked, her voice dripping with disdain.

Still holding Jenny, whose sobs slowly ebbed, Nick shot a death stare at his former wife, wishing she'd just drop dead where she stood.

_Nothing more than wishful thinking..._

"Aren't you curious at all?" she asked, her head tilted to the side again, a sign she had started her game again.

"About what?" Nick asked back, unwilling to jump on that train.

Instead of answering, Helen walked towards Eve, who started to growl again low and gave her a hard stare. _If Eve would be a dog, she would have bitten her by now_, Nick thought and wondered suddenly why exactly he was thinking that. But Helen, unheeding the warning signals thrown at her just continued to stare at Eve, her somewhat proud gaze running Eve's tensed body up and down.

"Magnificent, isn't she?" Helen said and just the sound of her voice made Nick feel uneasy. It was the same voice she had used when she told him about her plan to change the present in order to change the future. Even Jenny, now quietly sniffing, but still holding on to him; pressing her body to his in a desperate attempt to feel safe again, listened to her.

"I thought I'd lost her for good. She's my favourite you know. There is nothing in this world as perfect as her, being what she is. What did you think she really is, beneath all those human features?"

Now her words were even more alarming than the voice she uttered them with. Her eager eyes wandered from Eve over to Nick and Jenny, who now slowly recovered to her old self and was able to stand without trembling to face Helen, yet she still leaned on Nick's shoulder.

"What are you talking about? Of course she's human."Jenny answered her question with a frown looking at Eve.

As an answer Helen started to giggle maniacally.

_Now that is creepy..._

"A human? Oh, no, indeed not!" Helen exclaimed, looking at Eve again.

It was plain to see that in Eve's wide eyes a fear lingered, eager to break free. She wanted to know what was going on, but at the same time she was afraid of the answer to her question and confused about the feelings she had.

"My dear girl Eve, did you really think you were born within their time? Did you honestly think all humans have the abilities you have?"

She pointed fiercely towards Jenny and Nick, who stood and watched in horrified fascination as Helen continued to speak, unable to interfere or stop her and somehow he didn't want to believe what happened and the things Helen implied.

She stepped close to Eve, noses only inches apart, which was probably as close as she ever got and looked into the girls now black eyes. Her voice was a dangerous whisper and the pride within the words couldn't possibly be overheard.

"You see, Eve you weren't even born as they were."

Helen paused for effect, wasted a moment to watch the fear in Eve's eyes and the denial in Nick's.

"You were bred." She delivered the final blow, watching in triumph as Eve understood and sunk to her knees, shaking her head over and over, her shoulders trembling and she was staring at the ground beneath the pale white of her slender hands.

* * *

"What?!" Nick barked after the shock had ceased, while Jenny just stared at Eve, covering her mouth with her hand.

Now Helen laughed truly, she had did it again, she had surprised them with the one thing they couldn't possibly think of. Yet Nick wasn't willing to let her get away with it that easily.

"First remote controlled future predators, then clones of that cleaner guy and even myself and now this? I didn't want to believe first that you were crazy, but this is unbelievably nuts."

Helen heeded nothing of what was thrown at her, she was just too pleased with the impact her little revelation had caused on everyone.

"Finally, once and for all, I will prove to you that I discovered all the secrets nature has to offer, even the secret of life itself. And Eve is living proof of that."

"You want to impress?! Then try to be normal for a change! This sort of experiment is just disgusting! You cannot just randomly breed for desire, Helen. I can't believe you could sink that low!" Nick shouted out, his accent getting harder as he gave in to his wrath. Yet nothing, not even this litany of disgust and abomination could get her off her horse, as a figure of speech. She just stood unmoving, one hand resting casually at her hip, that smug of hers plastered across her face she seemed utterly pleased with herself, even though the light of lunacy gleamed within her eyes.

"Oh, come one Nick. I thought at least you would understand my motives. You're a scientist too!" she accused him and Jenny gasped next to Nick, seeing his shoulders tense even more and his jaw constricted, his lips pressed firmly together, blue eyes staring at the woman full of hate.

"Yet I would never do that, that's what you never understood. There are lines in science better not to be crossed." He whispered low, which was only creepier than the shouting before. Within her, Jenny thought Helen had finally crossed a mental line to Nick, having done too much to him and because he felt protective of almost everyone around him he also was sorry for Eve too. He simply couldn't believe that Helen had done that to the girl, and quite frankly, no one could really believe or understand her motives, but this was too much. It had just been the last drop which broke the dam.

Thankfully, before they could jump at each others throats, Eve spoke again, her voice a hoarse whisper against the heavy silence within the room.

"You said, I'm not human. Then what am I, if not that?" she asked and a lonesome tear strolled down her pale cheek. But Helen was still unmoved by her pain; she just looked at the younger woman with undisguised pride of her creation.

"You are unique, a combination of the perfect predator and a human."

"What?" Jenny whispered next to Nick, yet Helen could hear he nonetheless. Still grinning she turned towards the other woman.

"Eve is a hybrid. A combination of two species. Very rare in nature, usually that sort of things only happen in zoos. Its interbreeding of two creatures who have the same family tree, but aren't akin to each other. Like a horse with a donkey or a tiger with a lion. But like I said, it usually happens as accidents, yet I have managed to create a whole new species, a human mingled with a great predator in order to create something stronger than both, so it may outlast the things to come."

Nick's eyes narrowed dangerously, he had a bad feeling about this. Whatever creature Eve had been mingled with, it had given her the ability to attack and kill her prey, to stalk instead of being stalked, to move without being seen until it was too late.

_Oh, shit..._

Horrified he looked at the girl; who was still kneeling, her dark eyes filled with sorrow and fear and she looked up to him, hoping he had the answer if the only thing Helen did was to speak in riddles. His brain worked in amazingly accelarated rate as he thought of possible creatures known to him or to Helen to find something that might fit in Eve's behavioural patterns. Eve's eyes flashed silver again as she moved and suddenly Nick understood. Eve had told him exactly what she did when she hunted, even what colours she saw, and that she could detect movements before she saw anything. And especially that was what alarmed him, because there was only one creature capable of that he could think of.

"Oh God, Helen, tell me you didn't do this." Nick said, staring disbelievingly at the woman, watching her smirk getting even broader, happy he understood. Yet she didn't say anything, she wanted him to tell the others.

Frowning Jenny looked from Eve to Nick and looked into his bright blue eyes, seeing the pity and the horror and cold fear clouding them.

"The creature Eve has been created with; it's a future predator, right?"

They all stood silent, watching Helen chuckle satisfied and only Nick closed his eyes, wishing with every inch that was him to be wrong, yet he knew beyond any doubt he was right, if only by Helen's reaction to the question.

_Damn it, this is going to be trouble..._

* * *

After a few moments of silence, Eve spoke again. Helen was thankfully silent, leaning at one of the walls.

"Why did you do it? Why did you give me this life, whatever it is?" she asked, the darkness of her eyes lying on the woman she hated the most. But Helen only frowned and didn't move, just looked back at her, standing her ground in the cold shadow of her gaze.

"I wasn't aware I needed permission. Nonetheless, the reason was because I saw what will happen to the human race in the future. Did you think this whole planet looks like you think it does? No, indeed not. There are many places still inhabited by humanity, but that will soon come to an end, for the creatures are advancing, rallying together to wipe out the humans once and for all. In order to safe them, a new kind of predator had to be made, something with the best of each species, so it may clear the planet from this infestation and let the humans survive. A powerful predator, able to literally see in the dark, having a human mind, being able to talk or express feelings even. Who knows, maybe it will be your species, that will outlast us in the end, Eve. I bred you using genes of the future predator, implanted in a human egg cell. That is how you were created. I even made you a companion, so that you don't have to face your fate alone."

Helen's pride was disgusting, her vision of the perfect race disturbing and alarming. And the fact that there were at least two, including Eve, made it possible that she had created more, hotwired with neural clamps like the creatures she used for her own deeds. And the thought of a creature like Eve (though he didn't like the sound of that) on Helen's side was more dangerous than anything before.

They had no chace to talk further, for in the corridor suddenly the sound of fighting could be heard, guns firing, mingled with pained groans and hurried footfalls. A growling sound rolled through the door, a strange sound that wasn't akin to anything Nick had heard before. He flinched slightly and pulled Jenny back with him, eyes still at the door and the sounds outside. Helens face had gotten suddenly pale and she drew a gun from her belt, something like an advanched version of the tranquiliser guns Nick's team used. Whatever was outside attacking the clones, it was swift and dangerous. Rifle blasts flashed through the dim lights and a strange sound followed them, something metal thrust into soft flesh.

And even though Helen had took aim at the open door, she had no chance to shoot at the atacker outside, because Eve suddenly sprang to life and jumped at her, her hands free and her claws attached to them. She growled low and bared her teeth, an extremely animal-like behavior accompanied with the flash of silver eyes under the black veils of her hair. They foucght for the gun for a moment, before Helen managed to kick Eve hard in the stomach, causing her to writhe in pain. Then, shooting wildly at the still unseen person outside, she ran the opposite direction they had come made no attempt to follow her, instead she scrambled onto her feet again and took position in front of Nick and Jenny, who were all too aware that they weren't armed. A single shot ringed through the hallway, followed by a low groan filled with pain and the stepping of heavy boots. Then a somehow indescribable sound, like something was being ripped apart and the same moment snapped and broke. Then it was silent again, as if whoever was out there was afraid to get inside or uncertain on how to enter. Jenny peeked over Nick's shoulder, he had pushed her there, shielding her from view, while his steady blue gaze was fixed on the door.

Then they heard a man groaning in suppressed pain and soft footsteps came closer to the door.

"Eve, are you in there?"

Hearing this, Eve dropped her hands and spared Nick just a quick glance before she whispered low.

"Adam?"

They all saw a man walk inside, clutching his left arm while he still held a large knife, his clothes almost as tattered as Eve's, yet it was his face that fascinated Nick the most and he heard Jenny's gasp behind his back. And even if he would have been able to say something, he wouldn't have known what to tell the man.

For the man in front of him, though Eve had called him Adam, looked just like Stephen.

* * *

"Adam" was standing motionless, allowing Eve to get closer, hugging him tightly. His hair was short, shorter than Stephens had ever been and he had a lot more scars, yet it looked just like Nick's best friend, though he knew Stephen had died. After all, he had been there, had seen it with his own eyes.

_Then this must be a clone or something..._

But the way he had talked seemed unlikely. The clones tended to speak like children, uttering only the words they were taught to say. So Nick thought more of the "something" than for the "clone". And all the while, Adam stood there, looking at them with a hidden intelligence behind the bright blue of his eyes. He watched them, now letting go of the wound on his arm and due to the fact he wore a sleeveless shirt it was plain to see that it was a gunshot wound piercing his upper arm, causing the blood to run down his wrist and fingers to the knife and dripped on the floor.

Yet whatever he was, he had helped them, and somehow Nick was thankful for that, because it seemed unlikely that they would have made it out without any help.

Eve remained oblivious to the surprised and sudden silence.

"Adam! I can't believe you're alive! I thought you were dead!"

_Boy I know that feeling..._

At that Adam looked down to Eve and allowed a slight smile spread across his lips, happy to see her as well.

"That's what she told you, right? Thought so. I was injured, so much is true, and I would have died if her scientists wouldn't have stitched me back together. Then she kept me locked away from you and only told me about you on occasion. It seemed that she didn't like me as much as you, for I believe I haven't been outside for several summers. But she must have forgotten that you had to pass my room in order to get here and I knew that she kept someone else here. And she forgot that, as you, I have a talent for escaping."

At that Nick found the strenght to speak again, while he stepped closer, recognizing Eve's relaxed posture and the fact that she was talking to him as if they knew each other a long time and trusted the other.

"Who are you?" Nick asked, still unable to look anywhere else than Adam. Though he felt Jenny's presence next to him and the fingers that held firmly on his arm, this whole situation seemed unreal.

Confused Adam frowned and looked at him, tilting his head sideways as though he didn't understand the question.

"What do you mean, Who I am? My name is Adam, or at least that is what she calls me." His disgusted face made it absolutely clear who 'she' was.

_Damn, he even sounds the same..._

"It's just, ... well you look like someone I knew." Nick's voice was almost unknown to him, as surreal as the whole situation.

"Someone you knew?" Adam asked, his frowning getting deeper, wary, yet interested in the two people in front of him.

While the men talked, Eve looked at Jenny, concerned and frightened for her, because she was shaking still and it was cold down here. The woman held on to Nick, her fingernails dug in the fabric of his jacket, though she still listened intensively, not willing to appear frightened or weak or helpless and silently Eve admired her for it. There was more to this Jenny Lewis than metts the eye, Eve couldn't imagine what Jenny had gone through in the last week, but she could imagine that Helen hadn't been gentle with her. Simply because she felt there was a deep feeling buried between Nick and Jenny, as if they were made to be there for the other, and Helen hated it. Eve had no idea why Helen was so angry at Nick, but it was enough for her to know that they hated each other, Helen aiming for triumph over Nick and Jenny had just the bad luck to stand between Helen and success.

But Jenny looked like she would collapse soon if they didn't get her out of here, she was exhausted and very weak, it could be seen even if she tried to hide it. And as if he had read her thoughts, Nick took of his jacket and wrapped it around Jenny's shoulders, smiling quickly at her.

"We need to get back. Forget Helen, it's not worth it. Eve, you have to lead us out of here, but quickly, I can't imagine that Helen is beaten yet." he said calmly to Eve, then looking at Adam long and steady, he continued after a few moments, which Eve used to nod.

"Will you help us?" He asked the younger man, to which Adam nodded after a heartbeat of considering ad looked at Eve again, as if she was leader of his pack, or in his mind she was.

But before anyone could move a muscle or speak a word, a shrill siren howled through the empty haals and corridors, followed by the roaring of many creatures.

Confused and somewhat worried both Nick and Jenny looked towards Eve, who stood motionless and now frightened too, staring at the ceiling.

"Oh no. She opened the cages." She sounded as if the siren of the cage-alarm would be the last thing she was ever going to hear.

_Oh great, now things really go crappy..._

_

* * *

_

Ok, you know the game, so I will lose no further words of what I want you to do, because I already know you'll review! Looking forward to read reviews!

Next chapter will be even more adventurous, I'll update as soon as I can.


	10. Chapter 10

Ok, guys, next chapter up as promised!

* * *

Quickly, yet as silently as manageable they hurried through the corridors and rooms, Eve leading at the front with Nick and Jenny close behind and Adam at the rear. They seldom saw or heard anything, yet from time to time eve would stop suddenly and stayed completely still, her silver gaze shifting through the half darkness around them. Once or twice a small creature passed their way, more frightened than a threat to them.

Nick didn't dare to look back at Adam, for the way he moved reminded him a little too much of Eve and he thought if he looked back, he would see silver shining eyes behind him, glancing around their surroundings. He often looked at Jenny thought. She staggered slightly, clutching at his arm, but her trembling had ceased. Hoping that at least that would be a good sign he looked again at her pale face, and she looked back at him, while they chrouched in shadow, Eve ahead, moving her head slowly before she gestured them to follow her. They had hardly passed the room and ended up in the next one; a neverending labyrinth of rooms and dead things and destroyed maschines, as they heard a well-known screech in front of them. Eve ducked herself quickly to the ground, hoping it hadn't spotted them. Ahead, somewhere hidden in shadow and death a creature lurked, one of those she hated the most. She thought that those were the creatures Nick talked about, those future predators. Her kin, she thought with horror, but she quickly shook her head, now wasn't the right time to brood on heritage.

Nick carefully looked across the room, he had took a rifle from the dead clones, which had been slain by Adam out of that steel door two floors beneath them. But shooting blindly was no good idea, it would be pure luck if he managed to hit it and if not it certainly knew where they were.

He looked at Eve, who still chrouched in front of him, strangely on her hands and legs, giving the shadows a hard look, her instincts cquickly returning and she felt her muscles tense and spasm, ready to charge at the target. Now the creature was the prey and Eve was the hunter.

"You will stay where you are. I'll draw it out of the shadow. Once I killed it, we can safely cross the room. Don't get into my way, so stay here." She whispered, hardly to be heard over the whining of the siren all around. Then, without so much as a quick glance back over her shoulder, she stood boldly and walked into the room as if nothing was hidden from her sight; which wasn't entirely true. She could only spot the creature if it breathed or moved or made some kind of noise.

So she walked a few steps forward and suddenly froze again. Her senses had spotted the creature. Slowly she looked up towards the ceiling, eyes staring at a spot at the heights above her head.

And as the predator lunged down to throw her off her feet, Eve quickly jumped out of reach of the claws, raising her own as she did so, now growling loudly. The creature turned towards her and attacked again, its movements fast and determined, screeching and clicking, lashing around with its claws. Yet every time it prepared to lunge at Eve; the woman stepped out of the way, sometimes only inches before it would hit her. Eve was moving fast also, an equal match for the predator, and as the thing by accident moved too far and bared its side, Eve took the opportunity and tackled the creature fearless, breaking its balance and was briefly unable to stop Eve. While it was still in motion, Eve embedded her long claws in the neck of the great beast, which started to flail compulsively, muscles spasm beyond any control for Eve had hit its spine, her long dangerous weapons destroying the nerves within them. The blood of the creature covered her torso as she managed to yank her claws out of the beast's flesh and jumped away from the dying animal. Panting she stood there, hands dripping wet from the creature's blood or whatever that liquid was and looked around herself.

But as soon as Nick crept closer, he heard the same dangerous clicking and snarling left and behind him, while Eve looked towards a spot on the far right wall. As Nick looked to his right again towards Jenny he saw a dark shape rising against the grey wall behind it and in the little light the lamps had to offer he saw the predator which had obviously decided to snatch Jenny for dinner.

* * *

Yet the creatures had no chance to strike them, because a tall thin shape charged through the door ahead of them all and Eve jumped out the way, while Nick pushed Jenny behind himself to protect her from the claws of the creature. But the predator chose the thin four-legged animal to be put down first and screeched high pitched towards the others of his pack.

_Never knew they were pack-hunters..._

Jenny pulled him down next to her, behind the relative hiding of a trashed desk and together they watched in terrified fascination the battle unfolding in front of them. The thin shape turned out to be a deer the size of a moose, its antlers large and sharp, tusks emerging from its muzzle and within the span of a moment Nick knew what kind of creature that was and why Eve had jumped out of the way. It was a tusk-deer, thin and probably close to starving, but it seemed determined to crush the predators along with it if it was dying today. Four predators had surrounded it, moving in slow circles, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. However the deer lowered its antlers, its nostrily growing wider as it sucked air in its enourmous lungs, its great hoofs stomped on the concrete and it roared fiercely, charging against the closest predator. Its massive body trashed several things that were standing in its way ere it thrust the antlers into the sensitive flesh of its opponent. The others hesitated only a split second before they jumped at the deer, trashing wildly with their claws, one of them had managed to mount it and was hanging on the deer's neck.

Eve crept swiftly closer, mouthing to them to follow her and she led them back the way they came. Behind them still the battle could be heard continuing, it would probably be going on until one killed the other. After they had crossed the next room Eve took a turn to the right and lead them into another long corridor.

_Jesus, who built this place? A maze is easier to get out than this bullshit..._

"Hurry, the other predators will probably hunt the deer instead of us." Eve whispered right in front of them before she finally left her covering and began to run towards the end of the hallway, only glancing back to make sure they were following her.

* * *

Slowly, corridor by corridor, room after room; they finally got to the room where Helen's scientists had worked. Yet now it was empty, deserted by the staff, probably they had been warned by Helen to get out before she had opened the cages in order to kill them.

While they ran swiftly through it, following Eve's lead, Jenny concentrated on looking out for possible threats or creatures, no matter how big. She had composed herself and blocked out the darkness and the silence and the loneliness of that room Helen had locked her in for the last couple of days, so she was being of some use to them. Nonetheless she wished for Becker or some special-forces guys to be here. Would be useful if we have another weapon aside from just the one rifle Nick had took, not counted Eve's claws and Adam's knife. They were short-range weapons after all and she would feel a lot safer knowing she could do more than just running next to the man with the gun, hoping another man with a gun would get her out of this nightmare.

Looking at Nick she couldn't help but feel happy he was here. After all, he had come to safe her. Ok, he wasn't exactly that "knight in shining armour"- thing, because they usually were better equipped on the weaponry, but still it was incredibly brave of him to come here. But then again, Jenny knew him well, he had a tendency to be braver than he had to be.

However as they finally reached the top floor; well rather the floor on ground level, the storm outside could still be heard raging and despite the danger everyone was breathing relieved at the sight of the doors. Through the dirty windows the light of the bolts lashed, covering everything in hues of white and blue, only being interrupted by the sound of thunder roaring through the sky.

Yet Nick thought they all silently agreed that facing the storm outside would be a lot better than facing the terror inside this research centre and then all they had to do was to get through the anomaly, away from Helen and close to a doctor for Jenny. He supposed they had to take Adam back with them, whatever the man was, he certainly wasn't evil and that meant they couldn't leave him here within Helen's reach.

Suspiciously they looked around the room, as if they were expecting to be attacked this close on getting out of here. Yet without so much as a spoken word they hurried towards the door, thrusting it open and immidiately the rain clashed on them. Had it been a cool shower at first, now the winds of the storm were heavily whirling aroung them, while thunder and lightning danced above their heads.

* * *

Ok, its a little shorter than the other ones, but it felt right to end the chapter here. However they are not out of trouble yet! 

You know what I want, people! So get me the reviews I need!


	11. Chapter 11

Ok, sooner than expected, I deem, but the next chapter is up!

* * *

It had been surprisingly easy to get through the gates of the fence, because the energy of a lightning bolt had shorted out the batteries for the fence. Nick held the rifle with his right hand, his left supporting Jenny as they stumbled across the woods, lead again by Eve, who walked silently in front of them. Neither of them had spoken since the attack of the predators, at first because they were all concerned that every sound could draw potentially dangerous animals near, but now only due to exhaustion.

Already the weight of the kevlar-vest weighed a ton and Nick's chest was prodding alarmingly; being not used to run over longer distances anymore, yet he refused to let anyone see that he was in pain.

_When we get through, the first thing I want is a painkiller..._

At lenght they could see a faint light shimmer through the heavy veils of rain, the anomaly was close by. Hope spread in Nick's heart again and he could dimly heard Jenny gasp in bliss.

But as they stepped out onto the small clearing a sound was plainly heard, even through the crashing of nature around them. Only three years ago, Nick wouldn't have noticed it or put the sound on one line along with grave danger, yet now he knew exactly what it was and what it meant.

It had been the cocking of a gun, the person holding it being hidden by the shadows of the forest. However, Nick didn't need to see the face of the human aiming at them, he knew all too well who was holding the gun.

* * *

"You didn't think you'd just get out of here, now did you?" Helen asked and stepped into sight, madness gleaming in her eyes.

Again, Nick pushed Jenny slightly behind him, now being thankful of the kevlar vest underneath his clothes and knowing Jenny would be the prime target for Helen, if only it was because the woman seemed to like seeing him suffer.

"This seems vaguely familiar, doesn't it Helen? We've been at this point before." He said, raising the rifle to take aim at her in turn. But Helen just grinned at him, though this grin was different than anything before. She had lost it, her brain had gone into meltdown, may God know why exactly.

_Don't provoke an insane..._

"Yes we've been here before, but who said that this time you are the target?" Helen muttered, barely to be heard over the roaring of the storm.

Too fast for anyone to react, Helen shifted her position and pulled the trigger; the bullet hitting Eve right into her left knee, causing her flesh to rip apart and the young woman collapsed, screaming in agony. Seeing this, Adam kind of roared and charged toward Helen, heedless of the gun in her hand. Before he managed to hit her, she had drew another gun too, but both things fell on the wet ground as Adam's body crashed into hers.

It wasn't until then Jenny dared to open her eyes again. She had feared Helen would just shoot Nick or her; she had never expected her to take aim at Eve after she had told them how proud she was of her creation. Confused and terrified she looked up at Nick, who had pulled her down beside him, shielding her body with his own. Everything had happened within a heartbeat or at least thats what it felt like.

Nick rushed over to Eve and pressed his hand above the heavily bleeding wound. Jenny hesitated only a second before she joined him, holding Eve's hands in turn so she couldn't by accident hurt on of them with the claws. Entranced she watched Adam and Helen; Adam had lost his knife so they were both weaponless, yet that didn't stop him from attacking Helen again and again. It was while she watched the both of them Jenny saw a gun on the ground, not too far away from Helen's grasp.

Suddenly and unbidden the image of Helen in her house returned out of the depths of Jenny's mind and she narrowed her eyes dangeruously as she let go of Eve and hurried towards the gun. It was still possible, if unlikely that Helen would manage to beat Adam and shoot them all out of revenge or madness.

As she picked up the gun, she looked up again just in time to see that Helen kicked Adam hard in the face, her boots leaving brown dirty smudges and trails of blood behind. Momentarily confused Adam staggered back, away from Helen and shook his head quickly as if he couldn't see properly. Helen looked at Jenny holding the gun and she screamed whilst lunging at her former prisoner. In the corner of her eye Jenny saw; or imagined to see, some people walking out of the anomaly, yet now she had no time to ponder on that. Desperate to reach the gun, Helen did everything to get away from Jenny and grab it. Her short nails slashed into Jenny's cheek, leaving three bleeding marks at it.

At last Helen managed to wriggle free again, but she still had no gun, yet before she could lunge at Jenny she was again tackled by Adam, who pinned her down for a moment, but due to the rain her wet clothes were difficult to hold on to.

Jenny looked at the gun again and, seeing it was a tranquiliser gun, she lifted it and took aim at Helen. Blood drippled down Jenny's cheek, running down her throat and staining her shirt and for a terrible moment Jenny wished it to be a real gun.

"I've had enough of this! Get clear!" she screamed and Adam moved out of the line of fire, even as Jenny pulled the trigger.

* * *

Silence fell, for a moment even the storm had stopped roaring above them. Only the hiss of the dart was heard and Helen's groan as it hit her thigh. Gasping she looked down at the tranquiliser dart embedded in her muscle then back at Jenny's face, who stood trembling from anger and fear and looked at Helen in turn.

"Now you know what that feels like." She whispered, watching Helen collapse slowly, groaning and muttering words none would understand.

Jenny however stood motionless, trembling harder now due to the cold and the shock. She had just shot someone, thankfully it had been just a tranquiliser gun, but still she had shot Helen Cutter. And even though she didn't want to feel that way, it had felt bloody good. Shaking she dropped the gun, unable to hold it much longer, it suddenly felt so heavy. She was crying also, hot tears mingling with the icy rain and the blood, while she had no idea how long she had stood there, unable to turn around. Jenny heeded nothing around her, dimly she could hear Becker's voice behind her and Eve still crying in pain, until she felt a warm and caring hand at her shoulder and heard Nick's soothing voice.

"It's ok, Jenny. It's over now, let's go home."

Jenny looked up to meet his eyes, which looked careworn and concerned at her. His hand touched her slashed cheek, the wounds plainly spread across the beauty of her pale skin and it hurt him more than anything before on this terrible day. Jenny knew that, she could see it in his eyes.

Touched beyond belief about his caring presence she allowed herself to lean at him again, closing her eyes, the tears fell silently among the rain. And he held her gently, whispering soothing words into her ears while they headed for the anomaly, each there for the other, while the special forces men picked up Helen and made sure there were no creatures attacking them.

* * *

Connor, Sarah and Abby waited on the other side for them, relieved to see them returning from wherever they had been. And truth be told, they looked horrible, all wet and muddy, exhausted by the task they had been put up against. The day had passed and evening was approaching and still, all the while they had waited, the anomaly had showed no signs of weakening, but then at last Becker had decided that he and his men would check it out. He had left three of his soldiers back there, while he went on exploring. Seemed like he arrived just in the nick of time, judging by the state they were all in.

But now, seeing them walk out of the anomaly, carrying the limp body of Helen Cutter, it was certainly more than expected. Two soldiers carried Helen, after them walked Becker, next came Nick with Jenny leaning on him, staggering as she walked, her cheek bleeding. Last came a tall handsome man, carrying a half-concious Eve in his arms, who muttered and spoke inarticulate words. Her left knee was trashed and through the running streams of blood shards of blinding white were seen, as well as remains of muscle and her whole body was shaking violently. Yet it wasn't the girl Connor and Abby looked at in disbelief, it was the man, both gasping in surprise. They just stopped staring, when Nick called at Connor to close the anomaly as soon everyone was out of the way. And so he did, leaning on the cart his equipment stood on.

Abby and Sarah wasted only a moment before running to Nick and Jenny; in the corner of her eyes Sarah could see that some of the medics ran to the tall man and ordered him to put Eve down on a stretcher. But Jenny was still trembling slightly with an expression on her face as though right now everything was too much for her, as if she had seen all the horror in the world and was now unable to talk about it. Nick wrapped her in a blanket and she huddled closer to him as if to her Nick was the only safety left.

Neither of the women knew whether to hug Jenny or not, so they just stayed where they were, right in front of both, looking from Jenny to Nick, who himself looked pretty close to collapsing from exhaustion but was too stubborn to admit it.

"What happened? Are you all right?" Abby asked, unable to contain herself any longer. As to be expected, it was Nick who answered her.

"I'm not hurt, and I guess Jenny will be fine in a couple of days again, at least I hope so. As for Eve, looks like the bullet Helen has shot her with destroyed her knee. It'll take weeks to heal again."

"And what happened to Helen? She's properly out cold." Sarah asked, pointing towards the lifeless body, who was being handcuffed and driven back to the ARC.

"Well, Jenny managed to shoot her with a tranquiliser dart. I think she'll be out for the next couple of hours at the least."

At that, the eyes of both women went wide in wonder, Abby silently wished she could have seen it.

* * *

While Eve was being transported back to the ARC for medical treatment, Jenny sat in the back of an ambulance sent by the ARC, still somewhat dazed of what had happened. Nick stood close by, watching the people around him, his chest still aching from the exercise and the pain of seeing Jenny. Watching her like that, still pale and trembling, Nick felt a massive urge to protect her from harm, similar to the feeling he had experienced with Claudia as they had been trapped in that golf-hotel. And he was angry at Helen for reducing Jenny to this trembling shadow of herself. He forced himself to focus his mind on other things and looked at Adam. The young man stood a bit forlorn, because the medics hadn't allowed him to stay with Eve, and now he was standing a bit away from all the others, shooting doubtful glances at the soldiers around him as if he was only expecting the worst from them. He did his best not to move so he wouldn't draw any attention to him, yet Abby and Connor looked at him several times, they were hardly able to do anything else other than staring. At length Connor walked towards Nick, a determined look upon his face, willing to find out what had happened and who Adam was and most definately why he was here.

"Sorry, could be a stupid question, but you do realise that Stephen is standing over there?" the boy asked, well aware that the mentioning of Stephen stil hurt everyone, but seeing no other way of phrasing it better. Before answering, Nick looked calmly at the young man in front of him.

"That isn't Stephen. His name is Adam. He's one of Helen's creations."

"Like a clone or what? She cloned Stephen and named him Adam?" Connor asked both disgusted and disbelieving.

"No, I don't think he's a clone. He's like Eve, I think." Seeing the boy nod, Nick stopped to let him talk again.

"Yeah, while you were in there, the lab called. They said that Eve's blood is unlike anything they ever saw. They even doubted she's human."

_Man, if they knew..._

"Listen, Connor, its a long story and right now I'm just too damn tired for it. For now, it has to be enough if I tell you, he's not Stephen and he helped us getting out of there. In fact if he hadn't attacked Helen's clones, it would be possible that none of us would have made it back. When we get back to the ARC, it should be best if we get him to Eve, he seems to trust her."

Connor just nodded, while he watched Abby talking to the man everyone remembered as Stephen yet wasn't. But looking back at Nick, the concern about him grew again, pushing the curiosity out of the young man's mind.

"Listen, you need to rest. I don't know what happened over there, but I think it must have been one hell of a trip." Connor said quickly, recognizing the pale colour and tired expression Nick showed and this time the Professor didn't argue with him, but nodded silently, crouching down in front of Jenny and took her hands in his. She still looked a bit out of terms, but better anyway.

"Come on, let's get the heck out of here. We'll get back to the ARC and there someone can take care of your cheek." Thinking of the scar Jenny would probably have hade him sigh slightly. Yet Jenny nodded and stood up, but swayed a bit as she moved too fast. Quickly Nick grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling.

They passed Adam on their way to the Hilux, Connor and Abby already waiting, setting boxes on the back of the car. Connor would drive Nick and Jenny to the ARC and Abby would stay here until everyone else was good to go, but a few soldiers would stay here. Just in case the anomaly would open again, or close entirely, then reappear.

"Adam?" Nick spoke to the tall man and watched until the blue eyes settled on his face.

"We're driving now to the place where Eve is. We still have some room in the car left. You could come with us. And there you could be looked after too." He said, pointing towards the arm of Adam, which gratefully had stopped bleeding, but looked worse due to all the mud and dirt on it. At that, the younger man looked away for a second, before he nodded while he touched his arm carefully.

"Will Eve be healthy again?" he asked quietly and suddenly he seemed more like a child than a grown man. It was almost like he had as much knowledge of the world as a fifteen-year old and pity grew in Nick's heart again and settled down on his face.

"I think she'll be fine again. But you could be with her, until she wakes up again."

"Will you hurt me? Prodd me with the needles, like they did?" Adam asked, now a bit fearful of Nick, probably associating the soldiers on one scale with the clones and believing he went from one trouble into the next.

"No one will harm you here, Adam. We want to help you as we want to help Eve."

Nodding, yet not entirely convinced judging by the look on Adam's face and the way the young man's eyes darted around him, making sure the soldiers wouldn't attack him, he followed Nick and Jenny to the car, watching Abby carefully as she closed the door and waved them goodbye.

* * *

Ok, so now they're back again safely and Helen is caught. And next chapter will be something for the Nick/Jenny fans, I'll put it up as soon as I finished it. Which will probably be tomorrow, that being a sunday and I usually have loads of time on sundays...

Read&review, please...


	12. Chapter 12

ok, this one took me most of my night... Hope you like it. Just a bit for all the Nick/Jenny fans out there (including myself)! Been looking forward to write this the whole while...

* * *

Eve had been brought to an observation room as soon as the surgery to repair the damage was done, her leg propped up by several pillows, wrapped into a thick layer of white cloth and she was sleeping due to the narcotic the doctors had gave her. Adam sat on the ground, his back pressed at the wall behind him, his arm also bandaged. He had the same ability as Eve had, to sit or stand absolutely motionless, his gaze bound to the only thing which held his interest. There was only one dim light set in the room and much was hidden among the shadows, yet Eve's peaceful resting face was seen very well and Adam thought it the first time that she had slept so deeply and blissfully. Lester hadn't been too thrilled letting him stay in that normally not guarded room, so he had orderd two soldiers to stand watch next to the door, to prevent him from escaping. Seeing this, Adam now was too afraid to even get close to the door and so he waited patiently while the night deepened outside.

Helen had been brought into another room within the maximum security wing, though it was even more guarded than the one Eve had been in. No one was allowed in without military backup and the woman was cuffed at the bed, another safety measure from Lesterto make sure Helen wasn't just playing dead. She was still out, not even the docs could tell when she would wake up; for the dart had been filled with Ketamine, which was used in medicine to provoke a chemically induced coma. And to make it all so much better, ironically spoken, no one knew how high the dosage the dart had been filled with. True enough, no one really knew how much Ketamine had been in it, safe Helen only and it wasn't like she would tell them any time soon. So they watched her closely, making sure there was nothing within the room which could possibly be used as a weapon, no visitors and certainly no visits of Nick or Jenny or anyone else of the team.

Jenny was indeed getting better, the shock of shooting Helen slowly wore off. Nick was with her as the medic examined her cheek and decided that it should be sewed. He said that probably there would be no visibly seen scars and he really was careful. He closed the wound with several tiny stitches, then sprayed them with something he called liquid bandage. That way, Jenny could at least walk out of the ARC without a huge white bandage on her cheek.

And Nick too was being checked up and down, but other than a few bruises and a small gash on his forehead (though he had absolutely no idea where he had that from), nothing could be seen. He was just tired as he had seldom been before, now even more as the adrenaline in his body subsided.

He watched Jenny get up and walk slowly out of the infirmary towards the locker rooms, where she could change clothes. She was always keeping a set of spare clothing at the ARC after that litle incident with the shark in the canal. She was still a little paler than usual and she looked like she could do best with a hot meal and rest, but other than that, she was getting back to her old self again. Nick rose and followed her anyway, standing next to the doors, somewhat concerned she could pass out after all.

_She'll be fine again in no time..._

That so much was true, but Jenny was very good at coping, even better than Nick was, so it was possible that she just wanted to make them believe she was ok and would crash down later.

After a little while Jenny stepped out of the locker room again, her hair wet again, but cleaned of all the dirt and the mud, her slender body covered by black trousers and a sweater in the same colour, accompanied with plain white shoes. She smiled weakly as she walked closer, hiding a yawn behind her left hand. Then, oblivious of the people who could be seeing them, she wrapped her arms around Nick's waist and rested her head at his shoulder, closing her eyes with the secure feeling of his arms wrapped around her shoulders and his chin on top of her head.

Happily smiling Nick closed his eyes also, smelling the scent of Vanilla and pineapples hovering above her hair, gently rubbing his hands at her back.

"What do you say, shall I get you home now?" he asked, drawing back to look into her eyes and she nodded tiredly.

"Sounds good to me."

Leaving Connor in charge, but advising him to go home soon too, they left and walked towards the Hilux again, Jenny still not willing to let go of him, one hand wrapped about him. The drive was filled with some bits of talk, yet neither of them felt the urge to talk about what had happened. They just enjoyed each others company, each silence not unfriendly, more of a silent communication between them.

It wasn't until they reached Jenny's house that Nick saw the shadow of dread returning into her beautiful eyes. Nevertheless she got out of the car, standing in front of her garden gate, looking towards the brown wooden door and the dark windows beside it. Her hands shook slightly again and Nick came closer, frowning out of concern for her.

_Maybe she shouldn't be alone here... Not tonight anyway..._

And even as he thought so, Jenny turned around facing him once more, her hands shaking more now and she shiftfed the gaze of her fear-clouded eyes to his blue ones.

"I ... I can't stay here. Not tonight. I ... I want to, but I can't. I don't want to be alone." She stammered, again something really not typical for Jenny and smiling Nick reached out for her.

"Jenny, you don't have to stay here, if you don't want to. If you'd like, you can stay at my place, I got a cosy guest room."

"I don't want to bother you." She answered, looking down at the ground, ashamed that she was afraid of her own home. But Nick's reassuring smile just got a bit broader.

"You've been fussing over me in the last three months, this is my chance to fuss over you. And it's really no trouble, my house is big enough for the both of us."

Jenny grimaced a bit, but looked up again, at least she wasn't entirely against the suggestion.

"Are you sure?" she asked quietly.

"Of course I am. Let's get you some clothes and then we'll drive to my house, get something to eat and then you should sleep."

At the pure mentioning of food, Jenny's eyes lit up again and she nodded, if still hesitatingly. So Nick walked inside with her, waited at the stairs inside, while Jenny was in her bathroom upstairs to get the things she needed. While he waited, Nick allowed himself to think a bit closer about the meaning of Jenny spending the night at his place. Not that he was uncomfortable with that, he too would find rest easier if he knew she was safe, yet it was unusual for the both of them, he thought. They never even went out on a proper date yet, but still he guessed that in this sort of job, compared to safety it wasn't important they hadn't dated yet. And speaking of dates, he was determined that they would go out someday soon.

His thoughts stopped as he heard Jenny walk down the stairs again, carrying a small blue bag with her, smiling shyly.

"Thanks Nick, for letting me stay at your place."

He just smiled and offered to take the bag and Jenny walked out of the door, switching the lights off as she did so. Outside she felt her control-madness returning and she locked the door twice and looked the house up and down as if she wanted to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything, especially no windows. Then, somewhat satisfied she turned around and slid the keys into her pocket, leaning at Nick again while they walked back to the car.

* * *

When they arrived at Nick's new house; where he had moved in after Stephen had died, he opened the door for her and carried her bag inside, showing her around the house and pointing out her bedroom for the night. He was right, it looked cosy, but Jenny resisted the urge to lie down on the soft covers of the bed, afraid she could starve while she slept. She hadn't eaten anything in the last two or three days, she wasn't exactly sure; but thankfully Nick didn't know that, although she had the feeling that he guessed. And besides, he looked as if he hadn't eaten or slept in the past few days also. While Nick went into the kitchen to find some food, Jenny glanced around the room interested. She walked over to the huge piano at the far side of the room; she didn't even know he had a piano. Nonetheless it suited him, as did everything else in the room. On another wall, shelves full of books and fossils were gathered, each one of them looked like they belonged exactly where he had put them. Carefully Jenny slid her fingers across the lines of books, the centre of Nick's huge intellect, but paused as she spotted a small ship with white sails on a cupboard next to his desk. Interested she looked at it closer, the small details entrancing her, drawing her in by the simplicity and grace of it.

"My brother made that. It was a gift from him." Nicks voice came from somewhere behind her, Jenny jumping slightly more surprised than afraid and turned around, looking at Nick, who stood at the door separating the living room from the kitchen.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump." His frown of concern was instantaneous and expressed a real feeling which was normally hidden from anyone else. Jenny waved her hand dismissively as she slowly made her way back to the piano and Nick who was standing next to it now.

"I didn't know you own a piano." She said quietly, one hand resting on the polished black of the instrument.

"There are many things no one knows except you." He answered her in a caring voice, offering her the opportunity to lean at him again, which Jenny gladly accepted. And while she allowed herself to relax into his arms she thought of the invitation he had offered to her. It was the same invitation she had given him over a week ago. That was her chance to get to know the real Nick behind the mask he wore every day and she intended to take that chance. Her thoughts ceased as he spoke again.

"As for the food, I'm afraid I can only offer you ham and cheese toasties. I wouldn't want to subject you to my kind of cooking yet. Maybe when you're feeling better." He chuckled slightly as he spoke and Jenny fell into a small chuckle of her own.

"I like ham and cheese toast. To be honest, I would eat anything right now."

Right on command a soft ringing out of the kitchen was heard and Nick smiled at her once more ere he walked back into the kitchen. Peering around the corner Jenny could smell the scent of cheddar along with smoked ham, both on hot toast. It was a wonder she didn't start drooling, she hadn't known until now how hungry she was exactly. Nick passed her the plate as they sat down at the small kitchen table and only after a brief moment of hesitation she started eating. It tasted incredible, better than anything she had ever eaten, or maybe that was just because she was so damn hungry. Nick accompanied her, but ate little, mostly he watched her. Sometimes Jenny wondered how he kept on going, because she rarely saw him eat anything and most of the time he stayed at the ARC due to his work. She supposed that when Nick Cutter worked, he forgot everything else, including sustenance and his body seemed to have become adjusted to that. She however was an entirely different matter. Without food, her brain couldn't work at all, simply floating into the big nowhere. She ate at least one hot meal a day, usually when she got out of the ARC, leaving all the craziness behind.

Nick smiled while he watched Jenny eat. It seemed to him that with every bite she took, her face got a more normal hue of colour, banishing the deadly paleness which had concerned him. After the fourth or fifth slice of toast, Jenny leaned back, a satisfied look on her face and she looked now loads better than before.

"Sorry, I was just ravenous." She said and looked away for a moment, before her eyes settled on his again. His steady gaze held hers long, pure joy within them for having her here, yet that only lasted until his eyes passed the wounds on her cheek. Jenny knew they looked worse than they felt, having risked a look at them in her bathroom mirror. Around the edges the skin slowly got purple because of the mere force Helen had dug her nails in with. Though she had never thought a scratch would be that bad, but somehow that nutcase had slashed her cheek properly. And the way Nick looked at them; he was blaming himself, as usual.

Seeing the unveiled pain embedded in his bright blue eyes while he couldn't get his gaze off her cheek, Jenny only hesitated for a moment; her eyes settled on the wood of the table, before she reached out to touch Nick's hand. Startled he looked up again, but couldn't say anything, just stare into the warm light of her gaze, while the grip around his hand tightened slightly, a smile spreading across Jenny's lips. However he couldn't return it. Somehow he couldn't get the picture out of his head of Jenny, when they had seen her in that cell on the other side of the anomaly. He doubted he would ever be able to forget it. Compared to that; the other horrors of the trip to Helen's little factory of abnormities was nothing.

"You know, I don't blame you for what happened." Jenny said quietly, pulling him out of his little mind-movie and Nick was silently thanking her for it.

"However that doesn't change the fact that I feel that way. After all, it was Helen who trapped you, knowing that it would be the only way to get me do what she wanted."

"That doesn't make it your fault." She insisted.

_How the hell can she be so generous?_

"I know, but..." he couldn't talk further, unable to stop the wave of feelings crashing over his head. He couldn't voice his thoughts, the fear he had when he'd found her gone, or when he had seen Helen on that computer screen threatening to kill her. Or the joy he had felt when he held her in his arms. At length he found the ability to speak again, his voice a quiet whisper among the roaring of his mind.

"I thought I'd lose you. I'm not sure if I could bear that." Nick looked down at the table again, not ready to face her gaze again, uncertain of what he would see in it. He just drowned in the warm feel of her hand in his own, but couldn't take his gaze off the table. Nick was never very good at expressing his feelings, but even though he wanted, he couldn't voice the emotion within him. He felt, rather than he saw Jenny getting closer to him, until her forehead touched his own in a gesture of understanding and caring.

"But you didn't lose me. I'm still here." She said, her words dripping him over the edge and he blissfully closed his eyes, wishing this moment with her here, would never end.

They sat silent for a few minutes again, until Nick heard Jenny yawn. Smiling he found the strenght to look up into her eyes and found that she looked very tired, in fact she looked close to falling asleep there and then.

"Jenny, you really need to sleep. I think you'd best get to bed." Sleepily Jenny nodded, but closed her eyes a little too long and Nick thought that even if she got up now, she'd probably fall asleep while walking. So he stood up, pulling her with him, but as soon as Jenny stood, she leaned at him, sighing slightly and burying her head at his chest. Nick wrapped her arms around her shoulders, looking into her suddenly peaceful face and wished that he could tell her how he felt exactly. But instead of speaking, he led her to her room, holding her slender form next to him. And as soon as her head touched the pillow she was lost amidst sleep, smiling slightly as he bent down to cover her with the blanket and resisted the urge only for a split second to kissing her forehead.

Leaving the door open for a bit, just in case she woke up and couldn't remember where she was, he headed back downstairs towards the kitchen, cleaning up the remains of their poor dinner.

_Tomorrow I'd better get her a real breakfast..._

Again unable to stop himself he grabbed a small scrap of paper and started writing a list with what to buy the next day. Fruits on top, for he usually didn't have some at home; they tended to fossilise slowly while he found other things to do rather than eating them, followed by coffee because he realised he hadn't some in his house and all the other stuff he thought would be appropriate. As he finally had finished the list and looked at the clock on his kitchen counter he was surprised, for it showed half past twelve in the night. Until that, Nick hadn't realised that he had found no sleep for the last fourty hours or so and the last time he had slept, it hadn't been real sleep; he had practically passed out on his desk while thinking of how to get Jenny back.

However now he thought he could really do with a decent sleep in his own bed, so he switched the lights off, checked that the door was locked and the windows closed; that being some kind of absurd obsession of him, he made his way to the stairs, planning to look at Jenny again before he'd go to bed.

He had just changed into his pyjama, when he heard a muffled cry from within the guest room. Suddenly afraid for Jenny he rushed over, pulling the door open, seeing nothing within the small room, but Jenny herself, who was trashing around the bed, her hands flailing uncontrolled and she muttered some words he couldn't understand.

Quickly he walked over, caught her hands and sat down on the edge of the bed. The touch seemed to wake Jenny because he suddenly saw her eyes fling open, a terrified look in them. She remained motionless for a second or maybe longer, before she hurled her body to his, shaking hard, the terror of the dream still clinging to her. Gently Nick stroked her ruffled hair and rocked her slowly, while her breathing steadied again.

"It's ok, nothing's wrong. It was a bad dream, no one is here. Don't worry, I'm here." He whispered, hoping she'd get better.

Slowly she breathed deeper, yet still held on to him, her trembling had subsided a little but it hadn't stopped entirely.

"Please, don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone. Stay here, would you?" she quietly asked, her voice faint and small and Nick couldn't resist kissing the top of her head in a desperate attempt to ensure her. He thought for a moment until he decided it should be best if he stayed here after all. That way at least he could wake her again if she had another nightmare, yet he prayed that she would be allowed to have some rest after all she had been through.

"Ok, I'll stay. Don't worry, I won't leave you alone again." As soon he had finished that sentence, Jenny relaxed more and looked up at him, a shy smile across her exhausted features and she moved a bit away from him in order to give him space enough to lie down.

Nick lowered himself on the soft fabric of the coverings and Jenny huddled closer to him, her head resting at his shoulder, while her left hand lay on top of his chest.

_Feels so normal... Almost like it should be that way..._

He heard her sigh satisfied, while Nick; though subconciously; put his left arm around her shoulder, his fingers curling around the silk of her hair. And lying there, with Jenny in his arms, he heard her quietly speaking voice while sleep crept ever closer into his mind.

"Could get used to that..." she whispered slowly, being half asleep herself and smiling Nick looked at her again, who smiled too with her eyes closed.

"Me too." he muttered before he drifted off into dreamless slumber.

* * *

ok, so let me know what you think... Gave me a bit of headaches putting this together. There is still another chapter or two planned, because I just didn't want to end it there....

I'll update soon, I promise!


	13. Chapter 13

Ok, sorry you guys, I was a little stuck over this chapter and I'm not entirely satisfied. I hope you like it anyway.

* * *

The next morning dawned and sent its bright rays through the closed shutters of the room, dancing around themboth, and Nick woke to find Jenny exactly in the same position she had fell asleep last night. She was still sleeping and Nick watched her silently. He couldn't help thinking how beautiful she was, her head on his shoulder, eyes blissfully closed. She hadn't woken again after that nightmare and he thought that was good in itself. Subconciously he started to curl another lock of her silken hair sprawled around her slender grace and he couldn't stop himself from smiling. He had a huge emotion for her spreading in his chest, growing bigger since that day they had kissed and expanded with every day that had passed afterwards. The memory of her smile came flooding back and with it the touch of her lips on his; while Nick still couldn't move, watching her face in hope to drown out the fear she had experienced.

And still, Nick lied motionless, he didn't want to wake her, his hand curling her hairs and while he watched her peaceful resting face he had to admit, she had never looked more beautiful. He thought he had never seen and certainly would never see anything compared to her simple beauty. Jenny shifted again and huddled deeper into the covers and Nick's chest and because of the movement some strands of brown hair slid down and sprawled across her face. Slowly Nick lifted his right hand and took them away from her eyes and that freckle-covered nose, touching her forehead slightly, and she murmured something amidst her slumber but a smile graced her lips. And he smiled himself.

Nick had no idea how long he had watched her sleep, but it eased the concern within him. Suddenly Jenny stirred next to him and opened her eyes, blinking sleepily and looking momentarily confused as if she couldn't remember where she was at first. Smiling and motionless Nick watched her and as her eyes at last met his, he could see a warm feeling rise within them. Warmer than anything Helen had ever shown (though he hated to think of her), maybe even warmer than the sun itself. The rays of her smile reached his heart and the light within her glistening eyes almost blinded him. Words seemed unnecessary suddenly, not that either of them wanted to try. Instead he watched her left hand leave his chest and reach out to caress his cheek. Relaxing Nick closed his eyes for a moment, just feeling her touch, the warmth of her slender fingers again. She looked loads better now, the dark shadows underneath her eyes were almost gone, her skin colour more normal now. Even the wounds looked slightly better and Nick hoped with every inch of himself that the medic was right and no scar would destroy her beauty. Though he had no big problem with that, he would like her now matter how she looked but he didn't know how Jenny would feel about that. Suddenly Jenny's voice pulled him out of thought, again. He silently wondered how she did that, usually his brain wouldn't heed anyone when thinking.

"Thanks for staying. It really helped." She blushed a bit, while she said that and that really was cute. Nick normally wouldn't even use the word 'cute' but in this case it just fitted somehow. And besides, he had really enjoyed sharing one bed with her. Her soft warmth pressed to his body made him suddenly feel settled and totally at peace with him and the world around him.

"What do you think about breakfast?" he asked and saw her eyes shine even more, so he slowly stood up, ignoring the protesting cry his overused muscles uttered, but stopped moving when he felt Jenny's hand reach out for his cheek again. Slowly she turned his face around towards her and looked long in the blue seas of his eyes. Nick suddenly forgot everything whilst drinking in the warm light of her gaze and couldn't resist the urge of kissing her slightly. Again he felt the fire rampage through his body and wondered silently of he would become addicted to that or if the urge to kiss her would ever leave him. When they parted at last after a long and lazy kiss, Jenny smiled again, her features softening achingly beautiful and a comfortable silence edged them even closer to each other.

"Breakfast sounds good, Nick." She said and giggled a bit over his plain affection towards her. She doubted that he would admit it or let the others see it, but right now in this moment of time, she was certain he felt a lot for her.

After a while they both got up; Nick giving her personal space to change clothes while he got dressed himself. Just as Jenny though about going for a shower, Nick knocked slightly at the door, not wanting to surprise her in any way.

"Just in case you want a shower, Jenny. There are some towels in the counter next to the sink." He told her through the door and Jenny had to grin about that.

_Funny, really funny...__We share the bed and he still is chivalrous..._

Opening the door, she looked into Nick's eyes again, who smiled at her in turn.

"I'm afraid I have to go shopping, because my fridge is empty. I'll be back soon, ok?" he asked, a slight concern at his face, it was plain that he didn't want to leave her alone; maybe he was worried that she could slip back into the state of fear she had felt last night. But the truth was that somehow Jenny felt utterly safe in his home. So she nodded reassuringly while she made her way to the bathroom.

They spent the morning together and the afternoon and the evening. Neither of them had any urge to lose the others company and silently Jenny was thankful for Nick being there for her. But then again, it was some character quirk from him, he looked out for everyone else, suddenly for her in particular and that felt good somehow. The others didn't bother them that day, but Jenny felt that they should get back to the ARC the next day. After all, she wanted to thank Eve and Adam needed to be looked at closer and especially Helen should have the pleasure of a visit from them, though Jenny doubted that Lester would allow it. He seemed to sense that Nick was still ready to strangle her at sight.

Yet as they were slumped on the couch, watching some ridiculous movie on TV, leaning at one another, Jenny being in Nick's arms again; those thoughts were forgotten, both enjoying the closeness and the security they offered each other.

* * *

The next day.

Jenny felt strong enough to face the ARC that day and truth be told, Nick desired much to speak with Adam, yet not over Jenny's well-being. But she had insited and for himself Nick thought it was probably for the best, she didn't seem too keen about being alone right now and honestly, he could sympathise with that.

As they opened the door to the main room, walking side by side, they were greeted by an overexcited Connor and a knowingly smiling Abby. Both of them rushed over to hug Jenny, glad she was feeling better. After their hugs, Sarah rushed in too and pulled Jenny into a hug of her own.

Then, suddenly and totally unforseen, Connor got a tad professional and started briefing them that nothing really had happened, except that Eve had woken up early yesterday morning, but was still very weak. Adam hadn't left her side, Connor sugessted he was just frightened of the soldiers, but he offered no threat whatsoever to Abby or him.

_Maybe I should keep Abby in charge in the future, seems like its not doing much good to the boy..._

When Connor had finished at last, Nick briefed them on what had happened on the other side of the anomaly, especially the fact that Eve had been created by Helen and probably Adam too, which resulted only in unbelieving and mostly disgusted faces. Though he had no idea on how to break those news to Lester, he just hoped that now with Helen caught, the man would relax a bit and not throw the both of them in the brig, locking them away for ever.

"So they're hybrids. And what is so bad about that? Could they, I mean, wipe us all out?" Abby asked, her brow frowned in slight concern.

Nick had thought of that too, but it seemed more realistic to him that they wouldn't do that, even if they had the power. They seemed more keen on learning rather than on destroying, at least as far as Eve would go. With Adam he wasn't so sure, but the glances Adam had shot to Eve he at least trusted her judgement more then he trusted his own. Which meant, as long as Eve trusted them, so would Adam. However it was; right now, they needed to talk to both of them, if possible. Nick needed answers, he always did, and perhaps Eve or Adam had overheard Helen say something or maybe she told Adam how she managed to create them and even more important, if there were more out there. As he told the others about that, Abby and Connor just looked at him as though they wanted to say: 'like Hell you're going in there without us! We want answers as much as you do.' Realising they would follow, no matter what he said, Nick just nodded, smiling somewhat happy and walked away, Jenny keeping close to him, followed by Abby and Connor and in the rear walked Sarah.

_Slowly things return to normality... Except Jenny staying at my place..._

* * *

Eve was awake as they stepped into the dimly lit room; Adam sat next to her on the edge of the bed, yet far away from the door to back away if he needed to. The young woman was propped up by several pillows and looked at them expectantly, smiling warmly as her gaze reached Jenny. Weakly Jenny returned it, her eyes filled with pity about the state of Eve's leg, it must have hurt horribly and she had lost much blood, simply because Helen managed to nudge the artery, causing the girl to loose blood rapidly. Thankfully they got her to treatment very fast, otherwise it would have been possible that Eve could have died. Jenny felt guilty, now she finally understood wholly what Nick had got through after Stephen's death, though that must have been much much more painful. But she could understand it, at least now she could.

Nick was silent, he gave Jenny the space to approach Eve in her own time and pace, but his eyes were set on Adam. He still had a slightly unease feeling about Stephen's counterpart and the young man seemed to sense that. He withdrew from the bed, backing up as far as the outer wall, as Jenny stepped carefully closer. She saw it, hesitated for a moment and gave them both a reassuring smile, before she stepped forth again to reach Eve's bedside. Both women were looking at each other, unsure of what to say, or how to begin altogether. It was Jenny who gave in first.

_She often does that now..._

"How's your leg, Eve? You're looking better." Jenny asked, aiming for casual small talk, which resulted only in a questioning glance from Eve and a smirk from Nick.

_So not typical..._

"So do you, Jenny." Eve answered calmly, for the first time she adressed one of the team with their names.

Silence reigned again for a few moments, until Eve spoke again. She still seemed not to be adjusted to the fact that someone could be concerned about her health. But then again, she reminded herself, this people were different from the ones she knew.

"Besides that, I'm fine. Whatever flows through that needle into my arm, it blocks out the pain."

_Probably Morphine... _

"I wanted to thank you, Eve. If you hadn't helped, it would have been possible that we all would be dead by now." Jenny paused for a second, observing Eve's behaviour and the fact that Adam still loomed in the shadow.

"This counts for you too, Adam. If you hadn't attacked Helen's clones, she would have ordered them to shoot us eventually."

Adam, now seemingly a bit less tensed then before, stepped closer, but let neither of them out of his gaze for so much as a moment. He stepped a few paces, but stopped entirely, literally coming to a complete standstill, as Nick looked at him, but he resumed the approach as Nick smiled at him. It felt weird, Nick had to admit that, he was smiling at someone looking like Stephen after all, and because of that he had to remind himself constantly that this wasn't Stephen. But even Adam's eyes had the same shade of blue as Stephen's had. But seeing the doubtful glances back to Connor, Abby and Sarah; Nick didn't dare to speak, the boy was a bowstring, which could be flipping at every moment. Instead he used the time to look at the man closer. He looked and sounded just like Stephen, only younger; yet his gaze was different. He was wary, distrustful even, more than Stephen had ever been. It seemed that he was protective of Eve and at the same time she was his leader. But right now Adam looked absolutely frightened, afraid of what they might do to them, which was not such a big surprise, judging by the soldiers the man had seen at the anomaly site and the two guards that were set to watch the room. Although he seemed to understand that they wouldn't hurt him, probably Eve had said something to him which had calmed him down a little. But he still was cautious, because he was unarmed and wounded.

_No surprises there...__Seems like he has inherited some character traits..._

Eve's voice pulled him out of his observations of Adam and Nick looked towards the bed, stepping closer too, followed silently by the rest. They didn't speak, stood gazing, watching Adam in silent awe, as if he was the 8th wonder of the ancient world, which to Abby and Connor he was probably.

"What happens now? What will you do to us?" Eve asked, frightful of the answer, but too curious not to have asked it. Adam shifted uncomfortably, eyeing them suspiciously, obviously the man was ready to do battle on everyone who might try and hurt Eve.

"To be honest, I don't know that. I'd say you should both stay here for a while, at least until your wounds are healed and you can walk again. After that I don't know what will happen, no one really knows." Nick answered the girl and she could see the truth in his eyes and nodded silently.

"You want to test us, am I right?" Adam asked now, suddenly shuddering in memory of Helen's way to test them. It was still unclear as to what tests Adam had been put up against, but if they were anything like Eve's 'tests' Nick could very well imagine. It was Eve who broke the silence by speaking again.

"Of course they want. We are different, if we can believe what Helen has said. For Adam has the same abilities as I have, and he's older than me. He was born ... created about five summers before I was. However, or rather thankfully, Helen never developed as much interest in him than in me." She said solemnly as if she was blaming herself for that, which in truth she shouldn't do. That certainly wasn't her fault.

_And its you who says that, who always takes responsibilty for everyone and all around him..._

"But if you aren't the same age, then how come you know each other?" Jenny asked, simply because of what Adam had said, he had been locked away for some time, and Eve was outside, but watched by Helen and her clones.

"We spent a lot of time together, while we were younger. Helen saw to that, she said it would help using our potential. Something about pack behaviour. Of course, neither of us knew then what we know now, and we weren't as suspicious as we are now. We couldn't guess her purposes. And the truth is, I think no one really can. She separated us when I was twelve summers old. Two years later, after I had managed to kill one of her creatures during a test, receiving the scar I told you about; she set me free, but told me that Adam had died during the same test. I believed her, even though I knew then that she is the Mother of lies, but the grief settled deeply in me and I trusted her in this one moment of weakness. But my freedom, if you are so bold of calling it that, was nothing more than the biggest test. Still, I suppose it was better than Adam's fate. Had I known he was alive I would have tried to find him and show him the world outside ... the place."

While Eve had talked, Adam had bowed his head, his eyes settled to the ground, shaking with the memory of that place Helen had locked him in. Suddenly Nick was concerned, he thought about what Horrors this man must have seen. He wasn't Helen's prime specimen, so there was no need for her to let him out. Probably he was just the prototype and Eve was created after they had found out he wasn't what Helen had intended to create and would never live up to the expectations. So instead, she had locked him inside, depriving him from contact to the one person which was akin to him; in the hope that maybe she could use his talents to her benefits. Which was exactly what Nick told the few people within the room and Adam finally looked up, meeting his gaze for the first time without distrust or fear within it.

"If I may speak, there is no need for you to fear me. Eve trusts you all, and I trust Eve. So I have no intention to harm you. But you are right in some degree. Helen has indeed told me that you were evil and must be destroyed, but I have seen you risk your life to get the woman back which Helen stole from you. You offered us shelter and healing. I never wanted to believe what she told me, but now as I have seen your actions, I know that you will not harm us. I distrust Helen more than anything in the world, and my only concern is to go where Eve goes and I will not disobey to any of your orders."

He spoke as if to him the only thing important was Eve's opinion on things, she was literally the centre of his universe.

_Peculiar..._

"So she told you that I'm dangerous, right? That it be for the best that; if you ever met me, you'd kill me. And Helen knew I wouldn't be able to kill you." Nick's voice got quieter by the minute, at the end of the sentence it sounded more like he had spoken his thoughts.

"Why is that?" Adam asked interested and Nick shrugged as a response.

"Simple. She created you using the DNA of my best friend. You look exactly like him. I wouldn't be able to pull the trigger on you. Helen knew that, that is why she has told you that I'd best be killed. I think you were her contingency plan if everything else fails."

Bitterness was shown plainly in Nick's face, memories clouding the clear blue of them as he had to suffer trough the agonizing mind-movie of seeing Stephen die just in front of him, forced to watch the mayhem through the tiny window in the thick steel doors. Jenny's warm hand brushing softly against his palm pulled him out of the painful image of his friend retreating to sudden death and he was grateful of her presence.

"So; that man, he looked like Adam? And that man was a friend of you. What happened to him?" Eve asked quietly, wondering what it might be to change his mood from quite well to so gloomy. She received the answer almost instantly, though in his voice the pain was heard.

"He died, to safe us and probably the entire world. I was there, I have seen it. Helen lured him into that trap, and he was killed by some creatures."

"Speaking of her, I still can't quite understand what she has done with us. What did she mean, when she said; we could be outlasting the humans?"

Nick had no clear answer to that, he only supposed it was because Helen thought the Predators would be exterminating the humans and so she had created something that had the qualities of both species. And there was even more to it and though he hated to tell them, someone had to.

"I think she partly did it to prove she is the better scientist. That she can do all she wants to do and no one can stop her. That was the reason why she told you while we were with you. She probably wouldn't have told you at all, if you hadn't stepped in our time. She would have wanted you to believe there are just humans of your kind, though I hate to phrase it that way."

A few moments it was silent again, each one of them clingining to their own thoughts, before Eve spoke again, her voice a frightful whisper and the words she spoke being worse than anything which had been said before.

"Will you kill us now?" she spoke quietly, yet calmly, as though she had already accepted her fate and was ready to die. Literally being prepared for it. All gasped in unison, unable to nderstand why Eve had asked that and even more why she had thought of such a thing. It was Jenny who found her speech first, but she spoke exactly the words Nick couldn't yet utter.

"Why should we do that?" she asked both of them stunned.

Gravely Eve looked at Adam first, who had taken her hand, then her eyes wandered over to Jenny and Nick, whom she looked long in the eye ere she spoke again.

"We are not like you are. We are not humans as you are. And I have seen your face as you spoke to Helen about the race that has been mingled with us. I have seen the fear and the terror in your eyes. We never knew until now what we truly are. I had always thought I'm just as much a human as Helen is, as you are; and I just assumed that everyone was like me and Adam. But now we know, and I fear that your kind will see us as a threat. Something horrifying which must be killed quickly, even if we never did harm to any of you."

"Which is exactly the point. You never hurt us. You helped us as much as you could. As far as humans go, you two would make brilliant ones." Jenny stated firmly, before Eve could slide down the road of despair even further. Looking at them, Eve saw the whole team nod in unison, all agreeing in that point, though they kept silent, leaving the talk to Nick and Jenny. Astonished she shared a glance with Adam, who looked just as surprised as she was, they had both never believed they would be safe here after Helen had told them what they really were, they had assumed they'd never see the sunlight again.

"So you're not going to hurt us?" Adam asked shyly and somewhat afraid amidst his surprise and finally Nick found the strength too look at the man and smile at him.

"As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter if you're human or something else. You helped us, nearly got yourselves killed while you did and it was only because of you two that we made it out of there alive, let alone catch Helen. It doesn't matter how you came into being, you're here now and that is good in itself. Of course we have to talk to Lester first, but I think he'll have no objections about sending you back to your home. Now that Helen is here, you'll be safe there."

The thought of them being free from Helen's grasp, together in a world they both knew, made Eve and Adam smile hugely and Eve looked at Nick admiringly, all her sorrows forgotten as she realised that he wouldn't allow them to be hurt. Adam stood silent, still holding on to Eve's hand, slightly rubbing his thumb across the thin scars on her palm, looking happily at her, but without a word.

And Nick as well as Jenny and the others saw the emotion in Adam's eyes and knew he liked Eve quite a lot.

_Adam and Eve... Now all thats missing is the paradise..._ Nick thought smiling to himself.

* * *

Next chapter will be the last one to complete the story!

Let me know what you think of it, ok? You know how much I love reviews!!!


	14. Chapter 14

Ok, now at last the end has come! This is the last chapter and the story is finished.

* * *

Epilogue

Briefing Lester and persuading him to let Eve and Adam return to their time was not as tricky as it first appeared. It had only taken Nick about an hour to answer his questions and the man had caved. Now the only thing they needed was for Eve's leg to heal properly, then find another anomaly to their time and say the goodbyes.

Later that day, Nick sat at his brand-new desk, doing his best to litter it again and trying to focus on the rebuilding of the anomaly map, lovingly named "Matrix", which had resulted in shining eyes by Connor; but somehow he couldn't concentrate. Thoughts of Helen floated through his mind, theories about her purposes, yet they were all banished as soon as his mind; and it only was for a heartbeat, remembered Jenny as she had woken up yesterday and the way she had smiled at him. Nick had enjoyed being with her that day, had liked the feeling of her body leaning on his, her laughter and the gleam in her eyes, the scent of her hair and the taste of her lips.

Still he felt guilty about what had happened to her. She had been kidnapped by his wife. Well, to be honest, Helen had been legally declared dead some years ago, so technically they weren't married anymore, technically he was a widower.

_I should stop thinking of her as my wife... She isn't anymore..._

And he hadn't forgotten Claudia either, but the moment he had teared up her photo on the graveyard, he had decided to move on. He had lived too long amidst memories, he needed to let go of his past in order to have a future. Though it had hurt much; more than he was expecting and he had suffered through the most difficult hours of his life (at least up to that point), it had allowed him to open his heart for Jenny, knowing she was closer to Claudia than she thought. She wasn't a replacement for her, but the Claudia within her got more present with every day that passed. Maybe the universe was making amends after all, allowing him some peace after losing Helen, finding her again, losing her again along with his best friend, finding Claudia, losing her again, and then being confronted with Jenny.

Looks like there is some justice out there...

And still while he sat at his desk, surrounded by sheets of paper written in his distinctively bad handwriting, he just tapped the pen on to the desk in a neverending stakkato that calmed him even. It was there, _tap-tap-tap_, a rhythm never changing in pace or in tune. Which reminded him of the way Jenny had looked at his piano and he had to smile, not knowing that he was.

As his thoughts finally broke and pushed him back into reality, he decided that right now he should at least try to focus, knowing in an instant, it was impossible with Jenny crossing the lines of his thought processes.

* * *

Eve sat in her room on the bed and slowly got bored. Rather irritably, because Adam had left a good while ago, Connor took him to the scientists and he had resisted until she had said it was all right. But that still left her where she was right now, alone in her room, leg streched in front of her, with nothing really to do except to stare on the ceiling.

She was startled when she saw the door open slowly, but it turned into a pleasent surprise as Abby walked in, some queer thing on wheels in front of her.

"What's that?" Eve asked, both concerned and fascinated by the thing.

"It's called a wheelchair. I thought you might want to be a bit more mobile. Maybe I could shove you outside and we could talk a bit. What do you think?" Abby stated and pushed the chair towards her, lifting a small bag she had been carrying. When she saw Eve nod enthusiastically, she opened the bag to reveal a set of clothing which she could spare. Though Abby had to help the girl with the trousers and to put her in the wheelchair, only seeing Eve's eyes lit up because of the fact that she'd be doing something, clearly made her feel better. It wasn't long until she was able to turn the chair around and walk with her through the corridors of the ARC, aiming for that little garden with the oak in the middle. The same place they had taken her the last time, only it seemed so long ago now. And Eve was even more quiet than she had been then, but it was only due to her helplessness. They stopped at a bench not too far from the trees and Abby sat down, hoping her company would comfort Eve. After a few moments of silence, Eve spoke softly; her eyes closed in bliss over fresh air and sunshine.

"This is peculiar. I never thought your leader would allow me going outside, now that he knows what I am. I thought I'm a potential risk to human life."

The words made Abby cringe with pity, once again she thought that Eve and Adam didn't deserve that kind of rejection.

"You know, I totally agree with Nick. It isn't important that you're not 100% human, and I don't see you as a monster. Or a threat." Reassuringly she looked at Eve, hoping the girl would see the honesty in them. Suddenly Eve looked away, her gaze aware, but not frightful.

"Eve, what's wrong?" asked Abby, fearing the worst. She was calmed by Eve's happy smile.

"There's Jenny."

Turning around to look towards the door, Abby saw Jenny come closer, slowly and her eyes all over the place, but determined. Seemingly the strain of what had happened was taking its toll, but Jenny was too 'professional' to let it show so plainly. But compared to her usual self, all business and _hard-ass_ (though that wasn't even touching it slightly), now she was overprotective, often glancing over her shoulder as if she was expecting to be followed. And she kept very close to Nick. But like it was, Jenny was _acting_ like everything was normal and that made Abby smile a bit. It would take a bit of time, but Jenny would get better. As a matter of fact, she looked a lot better now, after they all had decided yesterday that both Nick and Jenny needed a break. Her thoughts and observations stopped as Jenny reached the bench and smiled at both of them.

"May I join you?" she asked, her gaze quickly scanning the surroundings again and Eve looked at Abby for confirmation.

"Sure, have a seat, Jenny." Abby said and waited for the woman to sit down next to her, before she dared to speak again.

"How are you? And don't say 'fine'! I know that trait from Nick, and I can see that you're not entirely fine."

Both women saw Jenny grimace and sigh, obviously that had been exactly what she had wanted to say.

"Ok, I'm not entirely fine, but I'm close to it." Jenny said with a slight chuckle. She clearly was thinking about something else than her health or Helen's place, it was something that made her feel better inside. Abby remembered the fact that both Nick and Jenny got to the ARC together this morning. She had been suspecting something like this, she had even talked to Connor and Sarah about it, but she wanted to be sure. However, it was vitally important that she was approaching not from the front, more let Jenny confirm that there was something going on between the two of them.

"So, hows Nick?" she asked, managing a cheery voice, but grinned playfully as she saw Jenny look at her, trying to keep a straight face. Didn't work very well, her eyes told the story.

"Erm, ok I think. He picked me up this morning at my house." Jenny hated lying to Abby, she liked the young woman very much, she was something like a little sister for her. But that didn't mean that Abby wouldn't tell everything around, if she slipped. But as Jenny looked at Abby and Eve, the both looked like they didn't believe her, so it must have been a very obvious lie.

_Damn, I should really find my skills faster... _

"What?" Jenny asked looking sternly, but the unease in her gazes couldn't be hidden from them.

At last Eve smiled, like she had figured it out or had been suspecting something for quite some time.

"You like him, don't you?" the young woman asked, her black eyes set firmly on Jenny and every reaction of her. At last Jenny gave in, sighed and looked at the ground.

"Is it so damn obvious?" she asked and frowned at them.

"Only for us." Answered Abby, slightly chuckling at her shocked expression. "To be honest, I've been suspecting for quite a bit. Tell me everything, please!" she begged, even folded her hands to give her eagerness the cloak of needing. Looking at her, Jenny had to laugh; Abby looked like she begged her mother for a pony. But she couldn't refuse her claim, no matter how hard she tried.

"Well, he offered his guest room for me to stay, that was why we arrived together. I can't go home, not now; even thinking of being alone there gives me the creeps." Hoping that would satisfy Abby's curiosity, Jenny stopped talking, but Eve with her keen observations had already realized that there was something Jenny wouldn't tell, so she decided to step into the discussion.

"There is something else, isn't there? Something you refuse to say. Are you two mates?" she asked, tilting her head to the side as Jenny coughed and gasped at her in surprise.

"Mates? Me and Nick? No! He was just polite and offered me shelter for two nights." But her look gave the lie to her words and she only needed to see Abby's and Eve's faces to sigh again and continue.

"We kissed. The night before... well you know. And we kissed yesterday. And we shared the bed." Seeing Abby's eyes get wider along with her smile, Jenny quickly added "Nothing happened. We just shared the bed. I asked him to."

Eve frowned confused, she didn't understand the meaning of 'kissed' but it was plain that it had to be something good, or else Jenny wouldn't seem so happy about it, and neither would Abby smile so broadly. So she smiled too, hoping that she could later ask Abby the meaning of that word.

"So, you're staying at Nick's place, hm? For how long?" Abby asked, clearly not wanting them to rush into anything but neither did she want them to end it before it really had a chance to start properly. Seeing Jenny shrug but smile made her think that even though Jenny was a bit out of sorts, she would try to get this to the next level. Whatever the next level in 'liking Nick Cutter' was.

"I don't know. He hasn't said that he wanted me out of his place, but neither did he ask me to stay." Suddenly Jenny's smile faltered as her hand subconciously reached up to her cheek and she remembered how she looked like now. "And what tells me that he'd even want me now, the way I look? I look like I've had a close encounter with the pavement." Bitterly Jenny stared at the ground, her left hand carefully resting on her cheek.

"You don't know yet, if there'll be a scar. It could be that nothing is visible." Said Abby, but her doubtful glance didn't ensure Jenny in the slightest. Their talk subsided again and a few minutes they all were silent, until Eve had the courage to speak again. Her blck eyes set frimly again on Jenny, she smiled at her.

"You know, I have a lot of scars and after the first one I thought that it was actually a good thing."

"Why that?" asked Jenny, shaking her head, clearly not understanding what the girl meant by that.

"Well, the first scar I received was because I had killed something. I needed to fight the thing and I won. The scar was proof of that, at least for me. And with every new scar I sustained I thought that they are nothing more than evidence that I remained victorious against my offenders. And so it will be with the scar I will have on my knee, it is nothing more than proof for me." Eve said quietly, looking openly in Jenny's eyes.

"There's something I heard once on Discovery Channel. It was something about prehistoric cultures or so, its quite a while ago. They said that when the young men were hunting for the first time and managed to kill something, they were marked by the oldest with a small scar on their shoulder. It was evidence for the other members of the family that this man was now officially a hunter and able to protect the women and children. I think, that's pretty much the same. It was you after all who shot Helen with the dart and for that you got these wounds. So even if they are visible in the future, you could think that you received them, while you were setting Helen up. And to be honest, to get Helen captive was something never accomplished before." Abby looked at the older woman next to her, who shot disbelieving glances at both of them. They were right, though it was slightly weird to think that way, but she wasn't used to scars, at least not so plainly ones. But still, there was a slightly pinch of fear in her chest and now it wasn't aimed at her own feelings. Jenny hesitated for a moment, not wanting to seem so concerned about other peoples cares about her looks (because she normally wasn't, she was confident about her body), yet she decided to ask their opinions at least.

"The problem is, what will Nick think of that? He blames himself for them and I don't know what to say to him." She asked, her brow deeply frowned and her gaze bound to the earth beneath her shoes.

"It's you he cares about, Jenny. And thats all that counts, if you ask me." Abby laughed slightly at her and after a moment of surprise Jenny smiled, sseing her point and admitted she was right. Glancing at the wheelchair, Jenny saw Eve smile knowingly and her eyes were filled with a happiness she hadn't yet seen.

* * *

A month later.

The anomaly glittered and glinted in the fading light of the sinking sun towards the western horizon. A quick exploratory mission had proved that it indeed led to Eve's and Adam's world and they had been brought to the anomaly site (much to Lester's relief) to be sent back. Eve's wounds had completely healed, sooner than expected, but the medics told them that it was probably a result of her being a different species. They called her a human subspecies, which was much nicer than calling them just hybrids. They had also figured out how Eve's keen sight was achieved, but Nick couldn't remember what they had said. He was good with extinct creatures, not with the higher levels of human anatomy.

And even though they had told her to take things easy for a while, Eve couldn't resist teaching abby a few of her attacking skills, mostly ducking and moving quickly. Connor had tried to, but Adam had looked that if the boy called him Stephen again, he just might strangle him. Luckily he hadn't, but it had been very close. They all got so used to seeing them both every day that it hurt a little to see them go now. But it was better that way. It would have been just another prison for Eve and especially for Adam, if they stayed at the ARC. They needed freedom and due to the fact that their animal's instict returned, they had gotten more impatient with everyone with the days that passed.

But understandably, Eve and Adam had been incredibly happy when the news had reached them, they'd be finally sent home. They had hugged and screamed and hugged a bit more, Adam was so happy he actually had whirled Eve around laughing.

And now they were all gathered in front of the anomaly to bid their final farewells to each other. Eve had changed her tattered excuse for clothing with one of Abby's trousers and tops; and Adam, well for him they had actually bought something, because none of Stephens clothes were available.

And as they were standing in front of the rotating light of the time rift, Eve received back her claws and Adam got; kind of as a present from Connor; a bowie knife, which the boy had snatched from the armoury. The girl hesitated only briefly, before hugging Connor, who stood a bit stiffly around, before hugging her back. Adam clapped him brotherly on the shoulder. They moved on to Abby, who hugged Adam a bit longer than appropriate and wished Eve all the best and then came Sarah.

Slowly, person after person, including Becker who looked wary yet friendly at them, but received no hugging (which was prbably because of the fact that he was armed), the reached Jenny and Nick last. There the both divided forces and while Adam said farewell to Jenny, Eve stood in front of Nick, looking at him thoughtfully for a few moments ere she spoke at last.

"Farewell, my friend. It has been a pleasure knowing you. Maybe we meet again in the future, though I only hope it will be under happier circumstances than this time." She said, her black eyes boung to his blue ones, a faint smile gacing her lips. It was both happy and sad to leave, and she knew it. For the first time Helen had created them, it was up to their own will where they would go or where they would stay.

"No more running, no more hiding from Helen. I'm not sure I can get used to that. However I'm glad for Adam's sake, he deserved freedom more than anyone else. And I wanted to thank you at last."

"Thank me? What for?" Nick asked, a bit puzzled.

"For not thinking we're vicious monsters. For believing in us. For setting us free at last." Her eyes gleamed up at him and Nick smiled back, while she stepped forward to wrap her arms around his waist.

"You don't have to thank me for that. I have to thank you, because if it hadn't been for you two, I probably wouldn't have Jenny here. And for that I thank you." He said as they parted and Eve looked for a long while in his eyes, as if she was searching for something in them.

After a few minutes in silence, her smile got a bit brighter as though she had found whatever she had been looking for and was happy about that.

"Send my regards to Helen." The young woman said quietly, her smile turning quickly into a smug grin and Nick couldn't help thinking how lucky Helen was being still in coma and not available for fighting. Eve would have probably killed her and if she hadn't, Adam would have for certain. But Nick grinned back at her and nodded silently, that would be a bit fun at least.

Eve continued to grin as she walked towards Jenny, who stood smiling waiting for her. They hugged long, each one drinking in the happiness of the other. Looking at each other again, Eve could see the light in Jenny's eyes and decided it must be because of Nick. Glancing quickly to her left she saw, a bit away, Nick and Adam talking to each other, both relaxed and calm. Because she knew how Nick felt towards Adam, that he saw the man called Stephen whenever he looked at him; he had even slipped sometime and had called him Stephen, it made her all the happier to see them smile.

Returning her gaze back to Jenny, she thought that probably it was because of this woman that Nick was calm.

"I wish you only the best, Jenny. And here, in memory of our friendship, because it is possible that we'll never meet again." Eve pulled out a little thing wrapped into some fabric of her old clothing and handed it over to Jenny. Curious she peeked inside and gasped in surprise, for it was a tiny work of delicate art made of something white and shaped into a small crystal not unlike the shards of the anomaly. It hung on a brown leather band, probably a necklace of some sort. It must have taken quite a long time for Eve to make it and Jenny was astonished by the delicacy of the work and touched that Eve had used so much time in making it for her.

Smiling she took her gaze off the gift and looked Eve in the eye.

"Thank you, Eve. It's beautiful and I'll tresure it forever. But I have no gift for you, I wasn't expecting this." Sheepishly she looked to the ground, ashamed not to have thought of getting the girl a present after all she had suffered through to help her.

"If I could decide what to get, I'd only want a promise from you." Eve said, looking at her calm and quietly and Jenny met her gaze, eager to find out what it might be.

"You name it. What do you want me to promise?" she asked curious and watched Eve's gaze flicker at Nick once more, as if she was checkin he wouldn't look at them or overhear her.

"Take care of him. He needs you more than you know. Maybe even more than he knows himself." The young womand said with a nod in Nick's direction and smiled brightly as Jenny took her hands in her own and gripped them tightly.

"I will, don't worry. I promise."

They were interrupted by Connor, who told them they'd better hurry because the anomaly was weaening and probably not holding for much longer. Eve hugged Jenny quickly one last time before she joined Adam, who stood entranced by the beautiful and terrible shards of the rift hovering in mid air. He seemed a bit frightened of what would happen next and so Eve took his hand carefully and smiled encouragingly up at him.

Without further words, they turned around to look at he others again, but Eve smiled and walked alongside Adam through the anomaly, which closed right behind them.

* * *

Later that evening.

_This house is too quiet..._

Nick couldn't help thinking that as he tried to focus on his work. He had to write a report for Lester, but somehow the silence distracted him too much. Usually, even a few months ago, he would have been happy about silence, but now the non-existing sounds drove him nuts.

_That's probably because you're used to sharing the house with Jenny..._

That could be, it was a simple explanation and they usually are the most accurated, but how could it be then that the house suddenly felt empty as he sat on his desk, absentmindedly tapping the smooth surface with his fingertips. Jenny had announced yesterday that she should try and sleep in her own house again, she was feeling that she was a burden for him. Of course that was nonsense, but Nick could understand her motive. So she had left in the morning, taking what few clothing she had stuffed in that bag of hers and had driven home.

However it was, Nick couldn't concentrate on his work, he couldn't since a few days, so he got up and wandered slowly through the silent rooms and corridors and couldn't help but thinking how he suddenly felt alone in his own house. Not that he wasn't used to that, but he had grown used to having someone here now and often, while he wrote some report or a theory, Jenny was curled up on the couch, watching television or reading some book. And to be honest, often when she did that, Nick abandoned his work and just sat there and watched her silently, seeing her frown or grin or laugh a little while she was oblivious to his observations.

Her nightmares were fewer now and she was good with sleeping alone, but again, not that he wanted to complain, it had been very nice to share the bed with her. Lord knows, he remembered all too well the peace and comfort he had felt while she was sleeping huddled at his chest, smiling in deep slumber. It wasn't until then Nick realized he was leaning in the doorframe which led to his spare room where Jenny had slept. He didn't have the time to change the sheets or even make the bed, so Nick stood and looked at the ruffled blanket and the pillow on which Jenny had rested her head less than 48 hours ago.

That was when it hit him.

_You miss her..._

Doubtless that was true, yet he refused to give into the urge to call her and invite her over. That would have been pathetic and honestly, she had been here the last month or so. She probably needed some time for herself also. So instead, he descended down the stairs again; leaving the room exactly as it was, though he had no idea why. He searched for something to do in order to keep his mind busy, but he was just too restless, so there was nothing that distracted him well enough to not think of Jenny. As he returned to the living room, his gaze fell upon the piano, which Jenny had so affectionately touched.

True enough, the piano was his after all, but he hadn't played in ages. When he had been younger he hated it, because his parents wanted him to play some instrument. But the older he got, the dearer the piano became to him. This piano had been a birthday present from his father, handed over with the words that if he played piano, then at least it should be on a Steinway. And even though Nick hadn't touched it's keys for at least some years, somehow he couldn't bear to part with it. It was a reminder of his family, though his father had died some years ago, before Nick had gotten involved with dinosaurs and such.

However it was, now he slowly walked over, stroking the old oaken wook almost lovingly before he sat down on the bench in front of it and carefully lifted the lid which protected the keys. He tried a few tunes, just to see if it still sounded right (which it did, much to his surprise) and then, before he even knew what he was doing, he started to play softly, a song he hadn't played in years beyond count for him. And while the slow, steady tunes echoed throughout the emptiness of his home, he smiled slightly, finally he had found something to banish the silence from his house and the loneliness from his heart.

* * *

Meanwhile

Jenny sat on her couch, wrapped in a white dressing gown, her hair wet from the shower she had taken earlier, and she was handling the small piece of jewelry which Eve had given her. Now, as she looked at it closer, turning it over and stroking the pale white surface, she found that it really looked like some shards of the anomaly, lined up in a circle. It was probably ivory, though where the girl had gotten it, no one could tell her now, but it was beautiful. While her gaze was bound to it, she had to think again of what eve had made her promise.

_Take care of him. He needs you more than you know..._

She would, undoubtedly, but the truth was that she didn't know if her presence would be truly comforting for him. She remembered the way he looked at the small scars on her cheek, they were indeed barely visible, but the both of them knew where to look to see them and she supposed the others saw them too. But she had gotten used to staying at his place. To wake up in the morning and know someone would be there, sharing the house, her life literally, making coffee for her and all that little gestures of affection she liked so much about him, if she'd left the kisses out. And the kisses were the best of all, and so far nothing more had happened. On that note Nick had been a real Gentleman, he hadn't rushed her, never pushed her anywhere she didn't want to be, had told her that he'd never cross a line if she wasn't admitting him to. He had left the decision with her to give the signal when she was ready. And that had really impressed Jenny. She knew he liked her a lot, liked _her_, not the image of Claudia she was, she could tell from the looks he gave her and the kisses and comfort they had shared.

Smiling about the memory of that morning after they had shared the bed, the way he looked at her, being so happy she was with him; she stood up and made her way upstairs in search for some clothes and then she wanted to get to bed.

But her mind couldn't be silenced, neither as she picked her clothing nor as she stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom to brush her hair. Jenny's gaze fell again at the gift from Eve, she had laid it next to the sink before she had started to brush her hair.

_You could go to him, you know... _

Her mind quaked from somewhere inside her head, but she ignored the implication. She didn't want to appear as the damsel in distress, and most certainly that would be the case if she turned up at his house again. Truth was, yesterday when she had gotten home, she had checked first if all the windows were shut and all doors secure, but still she hadn't found sleep there. And the idea of sleeping in her bed tonight again wasn't appealing at all, with that silly fear inside her. Helen was in the ARC, guarded, handcuffed and still comatose, but she didn't feel safe house offered no more shelter to her and she was frightfully nervous of all sounds outside, fearing almost that there was something which could attack her during the night. It had happened once, it could happen again.

Jenny thought of what had become of her; a frightened girlie, scared of being alone at night and of monsters looming in the dark places outside. It was ridiculous really, she was an adult after all; she had learned long ago that there was no Bogey Man. But there were monsters, though not the ones in your closet, yet monsters nonetheless. She had seen some of Helen's creations and prayed to God they died all. And she counted Helen as a monster too, maybe the most vicious of all.

And Nick had protected her, he had risked his own life in order to safe hers. And after that his presence was enough to ensure her that there was nothing to be scared of.

A longing for the gentle and caring vice with the scottish accent washed over her and she let it happen. Jenny remembered the way he kept looking at her, mostly on occasions when he thought she wouldn't notice, but she did. And every time he did that, staring at her, she had to supress a shudder because of the intensity of his gaze. Shaking her head, Jenny decided it was a very bad idea to think of him and his gazes at her.

_He needs you more than you know..._

Eve's voice drifted through her mind again as she got dressed, her still damp hair in a ponytail at her neck, and Jenny froze to the spot as the truth hit her.

_He may need you really. And you need him even more! _

Without further thought of what she was doing or why she decided with some finality that she wouldn't stay here. Repeating that, Jenny hurriedly picked together some clothes, casual ones, and stuffed them into a larger bag along with her mobile and her ARC ID-card. While she got her shoes, her gaze fell upon the small gift which lay next to the sink still. It seemed a bit forlorn and Jenny only hesitated for a moment, before she opened the brown leather band and put it quickly around her neck. It fitted nicely, and it suited her well. It wasn't heavy in any way, she barely felt it. Smiling at her counetrpart in the mirror, she grabbed the bag and hurried downstairs, shutting the lights off as she did so, before she could rethink again and pine on it afterwards. Glancing at the watch in her Volvo she saw that it was already close to eleven, but she knew Nick would still be awake. He thought too much and so his brain couldn't be silenced until sometime after midnight.

As Jenny arrived at Nick's house she was smiling still. Everything was known to her, the surroundings feeling safe and the house in front of her lit by some lights within, which cast their warm rays towards the street. But as Jenny stepped closer she frowned at the sound she heard. At first she mistook it for some CD Nick was listening to, but the tunes were too clear for that. And then she realized that the sounds came from a real piano, probably the one in Nick's living room, it's music coming clear and pure out of an open winod at the front of the house. Curious she listened while she walked closer to the front door, Jenny didn't want to knock just yet, because that would certainly make him stop playing. She smiled even broader as she recognized the song itself. It was the Moonlight Sonata from Beethoven, which gave her another glimpse of Nick's personality. The piece was a classic after all, and though it was filled with a hint of sadness, it was calming in its slow pacing and the repeating tunes. Listening silently, not moving an inch; Jenny thought how great it sounded right now. She had never heard it played real but he never missed a single tune of it and the sound flowed slowly out of the window and seemed to clench right at her heart. She imagined him sitting on the bench in front of that huge instrument, a glass of Single Malt standing on top of it, his eyes closed and a smile upon his lips, while his fingers stroked the keys of the piano slowly.

_God, how much I'd like to be a piano right now..._

Blushing brightly, Jenny forced herself to stop listening (and especially imagining) and raised her hand to knock on the doorframe. Immediately the piano stopped, the last tune floating forgotten into nowhere, Nick probably frowning about the late visit. Somewhat sad to have to imagine the song, Jenny waited anxiously, planning on how to explain her presence. He spotted his shadow at the end of the hallway and saw him coming closer.

Then, suddenly and totally unforseen she had a somewhat crazy idea. Normally she would have tried to push it away, bury it as deep as possible, but right now it seemed good to her. Maybe some light craziness could actually do them both some good. Nick was serious too many times lately, even sometimes she was with him. He was concerned about her and that really annoyed the hell out of her.

_At least now you can imagine his annoyance because of your fussing..._

Grinning mischievously she put the bag down and waited until he opened the door.

Nick was a bit stunned to see Jenny standing in front of him, her damp hair in a slight ponytail, looking as if the thought to visit occured to her while showering.

_Don't think of that..._

Before he could even open his mouth to speak, Jenny covered his lips with her own, kissing him with a passion both pleasant and daring. Her slender hands snaked around his neck and automatically he pulled her closer, allowing the fire to spread between them.

As they finally, after some minutes probably, pulled apart; Nick looked only a little puzzled of the force of the kiss and the longing underneath it, but smiled nonetheless.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Jenny Lewis?" he asked, still not letting go of her.

"Well, what can I say? My house was so silent and I thought I'd look what you were doing. Maybe we could do something together." Her eyes under her raised eyebrows gleamed a bit more, as she saw the understanding in his gaze and the grin it produced. He drew her inside, without a word he picked up her bag and set it next to some cupboard in the hallway, before he kissed her again and felt the loneliness subside, leaving him to drown in the feeling of her; while he gently stroked her cheek.

"Stay with me." She whispered at his lips and for once in his life Nick did as she was asking him.

And later, he watched her sleep in his bed, the moonlight from outside making her pale skin gleam in unbelievable beauty, while her hair lay free across the pillow and Nick touched the small necklace Eve had presented her with. The ivory shone brightly against her pale chest and he let his hand wander to the small scars on her cheek, kissing each one of them gently, the touch made her sigh softly and she huddled closer, the sweetest smile on her lips. Nick remained motionless, admiring her beauty against the gleam of the moon, partly seen through a not entirely closed curtain.

And before he fell asleep himself, holding her slender body to his, breathing the scent of her hair and her skin, he thought that he'd never want another woman than her. She was now the epicentre of his universe; to live forever in the shining light of her smile and laughter was everything he wished for as sleep overcame him at last.

The End

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Well, guys, one last time I would be thrilled to get some reviews, maybe some comments on the finished work...? 


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